Moments in Time
by Faulty Paragon
Summary: The little moments are often the ones that matter most. Pyrrha and Jaune both realize this over time, better than anyone else. Nora and Ren, in contrast, learned long ago just how valuable the little moments are. -A oneshot collection focusing mainly on Team JNPR's interactions behind the scenes of RWBY.
1. chocolate reminders

A/N: This is a RWBY oneshot collection containing oneshots relating to my longer fic, _Laws of Attraction, _and its spiritual sequel, _What We Call Home. _You don't necessarily need to read those first, but they provide the little bit of context for detailwork in each of these fics.

**For anyone who hasn't read _Laws of Attraction: _**There will be spoilers about certain plot points in these oneshots, so be warned. _LoA _is a canon-compliant retelling of RWBY Vol. 1-3 from Pyrrha's POV, detailing her entire personal journey through Beacon until the end of Vol. 3. If you're currently reading that fic, hold off on reading these oneshots. And if you don't care about spoilers/don't want to read _LoA, _then go ahead and read these!

Previously, many of these fics were separate oneshots. All of my _LoA_-verse oneshots will be moved over here by next weekend, so if you are wondering where a oneshot has gone, it has likely been added to this longer collection. I just wanted to clear up my profile a bit and ensure that people could find my _LoA_-related oneshots separately from other, more general RWBY pieces I've written.

*Cover artwork done by me, myself and I. _Go MS Paint gooo_

Hope that clears it up! Cheers :D

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_Summary: Jaune's first birthday after the Fall of Beacon isn't the same without Pyrrha by his side. _

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Friendship_

This is set at the start of their journey to Haven in S4.

Let me know what you think!

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chocolate reminders

He blew out the candles, a weak smile pulling his lips. The flames flickered and danced atop chocolate ganache for just a moment before they succumbed, and the group fell into darkness at their little table outside the small inn where they had stopped to rest for the night. Across the table from him, Ruby, Nora and Ren all cheered and clapped, grinning excitedly.

"C'mon, Jaune. Take a bite!" Ruby cooed.

Nora nodded enthusiastically. "It'll be delicious, we promise!"

"Just don't forget to keep your wish in your heart," Ren chastised, but his voice was warm, and he was unusually chipper thanks to the festivities. "That's the only way it'll come true."

"That's just a kid's tale, Ren," Nora scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. She picked up a fork and scraped off a bit of icing for herself, much to Ruby's horror. Her eyes flashed, menacing as the orange-haired girl added, "We _all _know that what really matters is _caking the birthday boy_ for good luck."

Jaune clumsily readjusted the party hat they had stuck onto his head only a few minutes before when they had first pulled out the candle-covered chocolate cake. Where they had managed to procure such treats at random, he didn't know- they had barely been apart for fifteen minutes upon first arriving in this small village. He didn't remember telling them his birthday, either. Yet, looking at the hidden pinpricks of loneliness and worry in the back of their eyes, he knew that this was their way of cheering him up. He hadn't spoken a lot since they had begun their trip to Haven Academy.

Ren cut the cake at last, and both of the girls cheered. Jaune cracked a feeble smile, thoughts lingering on the wish which Ren had mentioned. There was only one thing he wanted.

As Nora shoved an entire piece of cake into Jaune's face for 'good luck', and Ruby screeched at the waste of a good dessert, and Ren clumsily attempted to clean up the blond's face in the aftermath with a tiny napkin, Jaune's smile didn't grow. All he could do was keep his eyes closed, clenching his fists tight into the bottom of his hoodie. All he could do was repeat his one wish, his one desire, over and over again in his mind.

_God, I wish you were here, Pyrrha. _

He had promised to celebrate his birthday with her, after all. He could still remember how she had looked back on her birthday all those months ago. The way she had simply lit up, her eyes aglow in the starlight, chocolate frosting covering her nose until he had pointed it out-

He didn't even like chocolate that much, but his team didn't know that. He had always liked vanilla more. After her birthday, though, he had always bought the dark sweets for Pyrrha, just in case Nora's seemingly-endless stashes ever ran out. It was no wonder that the orange-haired girl had attributed the flavour as something he enjoyed, too.

It didn't feel right to not have the redhead there, clapping and giggling along with Nora, helping Ren clean up the mess Jaune had become. It wasn't right.

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. When he finally opened them again, he let out a ragged laugh, blaming the liquid's appearance on Nora and her pastry-related assault. They all knew why the tears fell down his cheeks, though.

The moon shone above them all, and he lifted his gaze, staring up at the stars above. The other three fell silent, giving him his space as they slowly ate their own slices of cake. He was thankful for the moment of peace, allowing himself to just close his eyes again, allowing himself to picture flaming red hair and brilliant green eyes and gold armour and safety and acceptance and _warmth-_

_I wish you were here._


	2. first kisses

_Summary: When Team RNJR decides to play truth or dare on the road._

_Genres: Humour & Friendship_

This is set at the start of their journey to Haven in S4.

Let me know what you think!

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first kisses

It was Nora's awful, terrible, no-good idea, and Jaune rued the day that he decided picking _truth _with Ruby and Nora around was a good plan.

"C'mon, Jaune!" the orange-haired girl moaned, wrapping her arms around the tall blond's neck and letting her weight hang off of him. Her whining rang through the forest, only accompanied by the chirping of birds and Ruby's raucous laughter. Ren, thankfully, had chosen to stay quiet, uncomfortable with the topic at hand. Nora insisted, "Just tell us! We're your team! You chose truth, dangit!"

"Yeah, Jaune!" Ruby egged him on. "You somehow managed to win over a lady?" He averted his eyes, and immediately, the girl added, "Oh, a dude? Didn't know that was your type. No judgement though, haha."

Jaune groaned, desperately pulling away. "Nora, Ruby, no- I'd rather not talk about it-"

"So you _have _kissed someone!" Nora cried victoriously, releasing him. Nora, Ruby, and an unwilling, and mildly uncomfortable, Ren formed a barrier in front of him and watched the blond, awaiting the full story. "Tell us _everything."_

Jaune froze, closing his eyes, a rush of sensation flooding his heart. Yes, he had kissed someone- and her lips had been cold and dry and bloody, and he had been crying, and he'd rather not think about what happened afterwards- and they both sort of tasted like vomit?- but it had been _perfect, _and his hands still remembered how soft her skin was and how it felt to curl around her waist_, _and it was _his memory dammit, _not anyone else's.

"It's not like it was like… Pyrrha, or anything, she _totally _would've told me if you figured out your feelings…" Nora trailed off, disbelief growing as Jaune's tanned face grew cherry-red.

"…you knew? About how she- about-" the blond finally squeaked at last.

Ren, Ruby and Nora all quieted down, unsure of how to proceed. When the blond didn't respond, Nora slammed her hands down on her cheeks, mouth agape. "No. _NO. _You _didn't. _Jaune Arc, you did _not _kiss Pyrrha during the battle of Beacon! No!"

"…can't kiss-and-tell, Nora," the blond mumbled, but his ears were pink and he rushed ahead of the other three. Ren and Ruby traded scandalized looks, while Nora simply screeched in anger.

"How _dare you! _You had all year to do that so she could report back to me, and you choose the _one time-_" she stopped herself, eyes momentarily glassy before she sniffled, frustration and grief overtaken by her annoyance. "You chose literally the _one time _I couldn't gossip about it with her afterwards? Ugh." Turning to Ruby, she patted the girl on the back, then forcefully looped her arms through Ruby's and Ren's, dragging them away from the blond. "That's it. We're Team RNJR from now on. I choose Ruby as leader. Who needs Team JNRR?"

"Wh-what?!" Jaune protested, scurrying after the trio awkwardly. "C'mon, don't say that! I thought I was the leader!"

But he didn't mind the girl's teasing. It had been a year since Beacon's fall. And, while the wounds still hurt, they had talked about Pyrrha, and they had smiled, and they were _happy. _They missed her more than anything- _he _missed her, more than _anything- _but they were still going_. _It was alright.

And, with that distraction in place, they forgot to demand more details from him. _I'll just pick 'dare' next time. It can't be that bad?_

After he saw what the dubious girls made Ren do, though, he changed his mind.


	3. symmetry

_Summary: At night, Jaune and Pyrrha like to stare up at the stars together. Pyrrha wants to know what Jaune sees, since all she ever sees is him._

_Genres: Romance & Humour_

This is set in early Vol. 2

Let me know what you think!

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symmetry

It began after one Sunday evening, as the entire JNPR gang slowly stumbled through the campus grounds, holding their stomachs and moaning. Team RWBY had challenged them to a dumpling-eating contest, and instantly, Pyrrha had tried to escape, but to no avail. So, armed with chopsticks and unlimited tea, Pyrrha and her teammates fought bravely, and eventually, found themselves victorious.

They had been proud for a good five minutes before reality set it- Ruby and Yang wanted to head out onto the town, and Pyrrha could barely move. Team RWBY and Team SSSN both left, catching up with Team CFVY at a club- but the redhead could only wave goodbye weakly, grab her bag and stagger to the door of _A Simple Wok, _regret coursing through her veins. Her teammates fared no better. _Maybe… it wasn't good to eat almost two hundred dumplings between the four of us…_

Their trip back to Beacon was… a less-than-stellar trip, to say the least. Jaune earned his moniker once more in the nearest trashcan, Nora fell asleep in a doorway much to the chagrin of the airship stewards, and Ren had his face pressed against the cool glass of a window the entire trip. Pyrrha simply opted for lying down across an entire row of seats, focusing on breathing deep and slow and even- but not too deep, for fear of her body realizing what mistakes she had just made.

Unfortunately, as they slowly made their way through Main Avenue in the dark, clutching onto one another desperately for support, the pain only intensified. Jaune was positively green again, Ren looked halfway to tears, Nora was asleep on her feet, and Pyrrha's forehead beaded with sweat and discomfort, the concentration required to keep a pleasant smile affixed to her face for passersby taking more of a toll than any battle ever could.

It was Jaune who gave up first. "I'm going to be sick again," he whimpered, staggering off the path and onto the grass off Main Avenue. "I'm gonna go throw up in a pond."

"Okay," Nora sang breathily, face only mildly pallid. The girl gave the blond a shaky thumbs-up before holding out a valiant fist in the air. "I'm gonna keep… keep going! Almost there!"

"Yay," Ren groaned, deadpan as he limped along the cobblestone path, eyes never straying from his final destination- the dormitories, a looming, tiny figure in the distance, hazy in their pain.

Pyrrha winced, trying to stretch out the cramp in her side without throwing up. "I'm… going to check on Jaune," the girl murmured. The other two waved goodbye without even looking back, clutching onto one another in the early evening, hunched shoulders illuminated by streetlights passing overhead.

The redhead found Jaune about a hundred feet in, hiding away in a dark clearing amongst some trees and flowerbeds. The boy had, thankfully, had enough sense to be sick in a nearby trashcan. He had then crawled away and collapsed on the soft grass, curling on his side and groaning. She sighed, reaching into her small messenger bag and pulling out a water bottle. "Okay Jaune, time to drink something," she murmured, sitting on her knees as gingerly as she could without upsetting her stomach. The blond moaned in protest, but she held out the bottle insistently. "Wash your mouth, at least."

Pitifully, the boy pouted, but she held her ground. He carefully pushed himself up to a seat, taking a small swig of water and grimacing. She rubbed his back tenderly, long accustomed to his air sickness after many team trips down to Vale. After a moment, his expression settled, and he handed back the bottle. "Thanks, Pyrrha," he muttered sheepishly.

Pyrrha smiled warmly through the pain, taking back the bottle and patting the blond on the shoulder. "You feeling better?"

"As long as we never do that again," he grumbled. "I don't know what we were thinking."

She laughed lightly as Jaune groaned again, the boy reaching his arms up and falling down on his back. "I can agree to that," she giggled wholeheartedly.

Straightening his legs, Jaune stretched out, letting his eyes fall onto the sky. "Pyrrha…" he murmured after a moment.

"Yes, Jaune?"

Without warning, the blond reached up, grabbed Pyrrha's arm, and yanked her down onto the grass. With a yelp, the girl fell, wincing as the quick movement jostled her stomach. Thankfully, the grass was plush and soft, without any dew in the wintry night. She lay on her side with her feet by his head- so, she propped herself up on her elbow, staring at him in confusion, then watched his wide, amazed eyes looking up into the sky with a look of wonder upon her own face. "Pyrrha, look!" the boy pointed excitedly at the sky.

The redhead blushed, trying to ignore just how close they were lying down, her heart racing in her chest as she rolled onto her back, readjusting so that their bodies properly ran opposite and parallel. "What is it?" she asked, trying to play along, elbowing his knee. "Oops! Sorry."

And then, she turned her eyes up to the sky at last, and she saw it. In their dark corner of the campus grounds, there weren't any nearby streetlamps to pollute the darkness of the night. The sky was clear of clouds, and the air was crisp and clean and fresh, despite the chill. Above them was nothing but an ocean of darkness, but for once, that shadows didn't feel overwhelming, drowning her. Instead, her eyes trailed across a sea of stars, each one twinkling and shining brightly, forming constellations and patterns and filling the sky with _magic. _

Immediately, Jaune launched into a heated explanation. "Look at that bright one over there!" he cried, pointing to a corner of the sky. Pyrrha frowned, trying to follow his finger- but at her horizontal angle, she couldn't see which one. She hummed noncommittally, and the boy instantly picked up on her confusion. Groaning, he grabbed her hand and dragged it into the air, lining it up with the star in question. "There- right where your finger should be. See it?"

At the tip of her finger was indeed a bright star, glowing gently in the evening sky- just a little sweeter than all the others. Pyrrha barely focused on it though, eyes fixated on Jaune's large hand holding onto hers. She cleared her throat and hummed again, all discomfort from their poor dinner choices forgotten from the heat of his touch.

"That one's my favourite," he announced proudly. "My dad showed it to me when I was a kid."

"What's it called?" she murmured, carefully keeping her voice level, ignoring the fluttering of her heart. _Thank the gods it's dark over here, _she thought tiredly, the heat of her cheeks almost scathing by this point.

Jaune didn't release her hand, simply moving along to a different star, guiding her along the way. "I honestly don't know," he admitted wryly. "Dad was never too good at that sort of stuff. He just… always said that it was our family's star. It's always the first one I look for in the sky. Apparently, it's been there through the generations."

"Stars aren't exactly short-lived lights, Jaune," the girl chuckled. "Of course it'll have been there a long time- millions of years."

He scoffed airily. "Details, details. Do I look like Professor Oobleck or something? Ooh, look at that one!"

And thus began an evening of staring up at the stars, the cold staved off by the heat emanating off their bodies. Maybe it was the fact that they were lying down and allowing themselves to digest, but they no longer felt sick- instead, all they could focus on was the glowing, ethereal ribbon of diamonds above, Jaune's excited voice ringing through the quiet evening air, and Pyrrha's heart, full to bursting, taking in the peace of the moment with such joy that she wanted to carve this lovely, once-in-a-lifetime magic in her soul forever.

Only, it didn't happen only once. The next week, after their Friday night sparring practice, Jaune collapsed onto the ground on his bottom, breathing heavily. He tapped the ground. "I'm out. I'm out. I give up. Have pity on me." His hair was slicked to his forehead, hoodie damp with sweat, breaths steaming in the night air.

"Jaune," the redhead laughed heartily, barely fazed by their training, "this isn't Vacuo-style wrestling. If you're tired, we can stop!"

Jaune leaned back on his hands, letting his head loll back. Before he could respond, his eyes widened, a large smile breaking upon his face. "Pyrrha! Come sit!" He ignored her words, patting the ground next to him enthusiastically.

She raised a brow, but obliged, placing Miló and Akoúo obediently at her side as she kneeled beside him. The redhead rolled her eyes as the blond immediately lay down, and she took her same place beside him, stretching out on her back. She bent one knee, her boot accidentally knocking Jaune's head. The boy muttered a quiet, "Hey!" to which she apologized profusely before settling down again. She pulled Akoúo under her head as a makeshift pillow against the cold concrete, bringing her eyes back up to the clear night sky, leaning one elbow against his calf. Although Beacon's CCT still glowed green in the distance, blocking out some of the starlight, there were still more than enough stars to fill the sky.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Yeah," he whispered, a wide smile on his face.

She sat up slightly, saw his happy expression, and lay back down, content. No more words were shared that night until Ren messaged them about freshly-baked cupcakes, and his plea for help to get Nora to stop eating all of the frosting.

This became sort of a tradition between the blond and the redhead. After every training session, every noodle night, every moment of quiet and solitude and _peace, _they would find a cozy, discreet, dark spot on campus and just watch the stars. Once in a while, Jaune would point out another star, share another anecdote about the numerous camping adventures he had had growing up with seven wild sisters and two ridiculously patient, passive parents. Some stars were guiding lights for them, others simply parts of constellations. Whether the tales he affixed those shapes in the sky were real folklore or no, Pyrrha didn't know. But she relished in these moments of listening to Jaune ramble on, the happiness and comfort and warmth in his voice so palpable that she didn't even need to see the stars with her own eyes- all she had to do was close her eyes, lean her head back, and let his words paint pictures of galaxies far away and the magical tales woven by their depths.

It was an easy routine. Yes, Nora mocked her lovingly and relentlessly for it, and yes, Ren was uncomfortable and suspicious, and, _yes, _Team RWBY was curious as to where the two snuck off to instead of going out dancing some Sunday nights, but the quietude was kind to them. After all of the tumultuousness of their year thus far, with Cardin and Jaune's lies and Pyrrha's anxieties and everything in between, it was a welcome break. She loved it- when she was with him, lying down in the darkness, she felt _safe. _They fit perfectly- just tall enough so that her heels extended past his head, his past hers, balancing each other out. Symmetrical, opposite.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with everyone?" Pyrrha murmured as they picked their way across the grounds one Sunday night. During dinner, an unexpected rain shower had drenched the campus grounds, leaving their normal grassy knolls a damp mess. So, the pair wandered around until they had found a covered set of large benches in the center of a carefully-manicured rose garden, the view from the seats a clear view of the stars. She sat down and drew her legs up into her chest, snuggling into her thick winter coat and scarf, breath misting in the night air.

"No," the boy murmured quietly, immediately taking a seat and sprawling out on one of the benches. "I think we've had enough excitement today."

She laughed. "Dinner was fun, though! It was grand having Team CFVY there, too."

Jaune hummed in agreement. "Yeah, Velvet is super nice, and I'm not even that scared of Coco anymore!"

"You were scared of Coco?" she asked in disbelief.

The blond mumbled, "She reminds me of one of my sisters- and if you knew her, _you'd _be scared seeing Coco, too."

"Whatever you say," she giggled, watching the few straggling clouds from the earlier rainfall crawl across the night sky.

After a few moments of quietude, however, the blond whispered, "Why is this so easy, Pyrrha?"

She frowned. _What is he talking about? _She didn't press, though- the blond would tell in his own time.

And, he did. "It's just…" She glanced over, and to her surprise, his cheeks were visibly pink even in the darkness. "You're a girl. But it's easy, with you," he began clumsily. "So… why isn't talking and stuff easy with…?"

Pyrrha didn't comment, didn't reply- she simply tried to quell the fact that her brain automatically jumped to every other girl in their friend circle, rather than to herself. _He's… _the blond's blush didn't fade, and she could tell- even though his eyes reflected the stars, he wasn't looking at them- not really.

_He's… thinking of someone. And it's not me, is it._

She grimaced, hiding her downturned mouth under her scarf. "We're partners, Jaune," she replied at last, voice muffled by cloth. "I… I'm not sure what you're talking about-" _That's a filthy lie and you know it, _the little black box mocked, "-but I'm always here for you. You know that, right?"

He hummed, and that was that for the night.

She tried to push that night out of her mind, but it haunted her. She tried to forget it, tried to ignore how her eyes immediately searched his face every time he spoke to any of their female friends- but she just couldn't tell who Jaune had been thinking of that night. It drove her _mad, _seeing how his eyes didn't focus on the stars anymore.

And yet, it didn't matter. After a few weeks of wondering, of waiting desperately for another clue to tell her who his eyes had focused on rather than the stars, he gestured her over to sit with him on the rooftop of the dormitory. Once she was seated, legs hanging off of edge of the roof, dangling next to his, he laid his torso down and patted the ground next to him. She silently obeyed, laying down, training her eyes on the sky above.

"Jaune."

"Yes, Pyrrha?"

"It's cloudy."

And it was. During their sparring session, the clouds had rolled over the sky, blocking out any and all signs of the ribbons of stars which surrounded the crumbling moon hovering above Remnant. They couldn't see anything.

"I know."

She bristled, confused. "Then, why are we…?"

She could feel him shrug. A chilly wind washed over them, exposed on the rooftop as they were. They both shivered, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw him shift so their arms were pressed together.

"It's nice, sitting here. It's a good way to unwind after training," he confessed after a moment. "It… doesn't feel right, not looking up at the sky like this."

And her arm was warm, and despite the frigid winter air, she couldn't help but agree.

"…you know, you're going to get cramps once you get up if you don't stretch after training."

"Ugh, Pyrrha, just… look at the clouds, okay? See?" He grabbed her hand and pointed with it, their usual practice after so many nights of stargazing. Only this time, she realized faintly, their heads were close for once, the space between them nothing but a few inches of rooftop.

He added, "That one looks like a Nevermore."

"It just looks like a triangle."

"You have _no imagination!" _he cried indignantly.

She smiled, pressing into him, enjoying the warmth only he could provide. "Whatever you say," she sang, but her eyes were glazed over, and she let her head turn to the side, closing her eyes, facing Jaune, basking in the closeness.

And, when she opened her eyes again many heartbeats later, his eyes weren't focused on the clouds, or on the face of some unknown girl. Pyrrha's green met blue, and she finally knew what he was looking at, at least for that night- the stars in her own eyes.


	4. singalongs and spatulas

_Summary: The soundtrack of the new Spruce Willis movie is pretty fantastic, and Jaune refuses to let Pyrrha relax until she's enjoyed every last track. The result? Nora is, as usual, the best wingwoman possible._

_Genres: Romance & Humour_

This is set after they've recovered from the aftermath of the breach in downtown Vale (post-Vol. 2, pre-Vol. 3).

Let me know what you think!

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singalongs and spatulas

"Yes, Jaune," the redhead smiled flatly, her cheeks strained as the fourth song rolled to an end. "It's… pretty fantastic." Her eye twitched, having been transfixed into the same uncomfortable position for over ten minutes now.

Jaune spun on his heel, throwing his hands in the air, not noticing the suds of dish soap flying off his fingers. They landed on his lounging t-shirt and shorts, and he slid in his fuzzy socks on the linoleum over to the redhead. "I _know!_" the blond nearly squealed. "I just can't believe he's in something that's both so _awesome, _and yet so _heartfelt! _Did you see how emotional all the _explosions _looked!_"_

She giggled nervously, eyes darting towards the stove. They had been cooking pancakes- Ren had been caught up in the library with some studying, and Nora hadn't finished her study-through-diffusion nap by his side, so the blond and redhead had taken over after-school-snack duty for the quiet boy in order to appease Nora upon waking. There wasn't much batter left in the bowl, but if Jaune didn't move out of the way of the stove, the current sizzling treat was going to burn.

She sighed, then quickly held the spatula away from her body before the utensil could drag wet batter across her apron. "I'm… sure it'll be a great film, Jaune. This soundtrack really is… something." In all honesty, she was utterly bored by what was playing- just a bunched of licensed, reworked versions of old classic rock and pop songs. She wasn't a huge music buff, but even she knew that it wasn't really anything special.

The blond paid it no mind, placing damp hands on his cheeks dreamily. "I can't wait till I see it in action! The trailers looked so cool!"

Pyrrha rolled her eyes, gently squeezing past him. She immediately lifted up the bottom of the pancake on the skillet, breathing out a sigh of relief when she saw the golden brown crust forming at the base. Flipping it deftly, she leaned back against the countertop. "Are you going to go with anyone?" she asked mildly, gesturing with her spatula.

The boy sighed wearily, slumping over as he returned to the sink, where he had left a sudsy whisk waiting for him in the steel depths. "Ren won't go with me," he moaned, scrubbing the batter off of the wires. "And I'm not even going to _try _and ask Weiss, so don't even ask."

_…Am I not even an option? _she thought sadly, sliding the finished pancake onto their nearby plate. "I'm sure you can find someone," she finally said, voice mild despite the storm in her heart.

Ever since the dance, Jaune had been much closer to her than before. Yet, he had never stepped farther than the bounds that they had unknowingly erected during that exchange, and it frustrated her. She just didn't know what to do in order to make him look at her like _that _again.

"I'll live even if I don't see it," the boy murmured sadly, swiping the most recent pancake off the finished pile. Taking a hearty bite, he added through a mouthful, "At least they released the soundtrack early for once."

She smacked his hand lightly. "Wait until we're done, and don't eat with soap on your hands!" she laughed. The boy twisted up his face mockingly towards her, and she scoffed jokingly. "And don't make that face, that's rude!"

The boy half-heartedly swiped his hands dry on his baggy shorts. "What're you gonna do, Miss Nikos?" Jaune challenged. She stared at him, confused- and then, she yelped in surprise as the boy stole the spatula right out of her hands.

"Jaune," she laughed, reaching for the utensil. "Give it back. We all know what happened last time you tried to flip a pancake- let me do it."

The blond looked up at the ceiling where a circular stain still lingered upon the plaster. Rolling his eyes exaggeratedly, he replied, "I'm not going to try and _cook, _Pyrrha."

She hummed noncommittally, first pouring another ladleful of batter onto the greased skillet before crossing her arms and leaning back against the counter. "I'm going to need that back in a minute," she laughed, nodding towards the spatula.

The song ended on his Scroll, and the next one began to play- however, unlike the previous ones, this one was much slower. The gentle keys of the piano and synthesizer echoed through the kitchen, rising and falling through soft arpeggios. A soft, serenading voice began to play, and immediately, Pyrrha blushed, instantly knowing what sort of scene such a romantic song would be used for. She fidgeted, avoiding eye contact with the blond as the warbling voice's lyrics- and _intent- _became explicit.

And, of course, with Jaune being _Jaune, _he had no understanding of what sort of tonal shift had just occurred in the room. In a high-pitched falsetto, Jaune cried, "And rob me of my solo?"

"Jaune, please don't-" But she was too late. The blond changed his grip on the spatula handle, using the flipper as a fake microphone. His soft tenor began to fill the air, gentle and crooning despite his overdramatic, angst-filled expression. He held his free hand over his heart, sliding away on the linoleum, keeping the tool out of her reach.

She groaned. Stepping away from the counter, she reached out for the spatula, but he simply spun away. She lunged again, but he danced even further. "Maybe I _shouldn't _help you with your reflexes," she warned, half-amused and half-disappointed in his silly antics.

Jaune took a break from singing during a musical interlude to laugh haughtily. "You can't take away the training videos! No one can stop me!"

She harrumphed, now fighting to keep the smile off her face, his bubbly energy revitalizing. She reached for the spatula again, but the boy quickly grabbed her hand and spun her around as if they were ballroom dancing, leaving the girl laughing aloud as the second verse kicked in. "Jaune, why are you like this," she wheezed through teary-eyed giggles.

The blond grinned devilishly at her, holding the spatula in an even more exaggerated pose. His voice grew louder, his serenade extending throughout the room. Pyrrha covered her face with her hands, desperately trying to ignore his voice- _He's so much better than when he was asking Weiss out, oh no-_ while she hid her growing blush. Finally, as the boy danced around her, mock-seductive in his movements, she had had enough. As he slid by, belting out another line of "_I'll love you fore-ver," _she gave up, sticking her foot out as he slid around her. With a startled cry, the boy fell back, the air knocked out of his lungs for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, she swiped the spatula from his hand, flipping the pancake at last. Thankfully, it hadn't burned yet. With a relieved sigh, she walked over and crouched by the blond, brushing his mussed hair out of his face. "Oh my goodness," Pyrrha groaned good-naturedly, offering the blond a hand. "C'mon, get up, Jaune- what?!"

And the boy grabbed her hand and pulled himself up, but the slippery tile and her socks were a bad combination. The girl lost her balance and quickly fell onto the ground, landing on her bottom with an ungraceful thud. She froze, wincing at the impact, trading shocked looks with the blond. Then, they both burst into laughter. Eventually, though, the laughter died down into friendly chuckles, and the two of them quieted down, leaving Jaune singing along to the romantic song dreamily while he lay on the floor, and Pyrrha closing her eyes, listening to his voice echo in the quiet room peacefully.

"Ooh-la-la," came a teasing voice from the door, "and what have we walked in on? Ren, maybe we should go."

"Oh, hey guys!" Jaune cheered from where he lay down, waving up at their two teammates. "We made food!"

Nora held a hand to her mouth, pursing her lips as she tittered, "We should give them some _alone time-"_

"Come in, guys!" Scrambling to her feet, Pyrrha dusted off her apron and the seat of her pyjama shorts, tugging her long socks higher up her thighs. She helped a clueless Jaune back to his feet, then scurried away from him, dropping his hand like hot coals. "We were making pancakes for you too!" she chirped, cursing how high her voice squeaked out of her throat.

"Well, duh," Nora giggled. "I smelled them from down the hall. That's not what I wanna know, and you know it." The wicked gleam in her eye sent chills of trepidation down Pyrrha's spine.

Even worse than Nora's condescending smirk was Ren's panicked expression. The boy's normally calm eyes were wide and fixated upon a whorl in Nora's hair her nap had most likely caused, refusing to glance over at his two other teammates. However, the frantic energy around him and the light blush staining his cheeks was more than enough evidence to prove that he had seen exactly what had been going on. _Nora, why did you have to tell Ren about me and Jaune? _the redhead lamented internally. _He looks terrified. _

"Um… so, Pyrrha, other than pancakes, what are _you _two doing? 'Cause it looks like-"

"Nora, _don't,_" the redhead begged through a manic smile before averting her eyes from Jaune's confused gaze.

Suddenly, the sweetness of the moment was dispelled as the tender piano trailed away and an action-packed brass fanfare echoed through the small speakers of Jaune's Scroll. Clearly, Jaune had not realized the meaning behind any of the blushing looks shared between Pyrrha, Ren and Nora, and so he obliviously jumped in the air and strumming along to an air guitar while humming to an electric riff playing.

Pyrrha immediately turned back to the stovetop, flipping the last pancake left on the skillet. She bit her lip- sometime in their tomfoolery, the bottom of the cake had gotten burned. With a grimace, she slid it onto a separate plate to discard later. "Jaune, wash this- careful, it's hot," she warned, handing the skillet over. The blond, still halfway enraptured by the soundtrack, smiled widely and took the pan, cursing quietly when he touched the hot metal anyways. She chuckled, then began to put away the remaining ingredients left on the counter.

Nora raised a brow, propping a hand on her hip in amusement. "But Jaune, you, like- you haven't even _seen _this movie yet."

"I blame Ren!" Jaune shouted, petulant. He crossed him arms, huffing. "I asked him, but-"

Ren held his hands up defensively, palms open as he leaned back against the doorframe. "Look, we only get a small stipend for our fees from the Huntsmen that sponsored us growing up," he replied quickly. "I'm not spending the money we _do _have on an action movie. The explosions would probably hide any finesse in the combat that they could possibly show."

Jaune pouted in response, a kicked puppy. Ren, however, didn't budge, staring at his friend impassively.

The orange-haired girl stared at each person in the room slowly, scheming something. "Okay, that's it. Pyrrha, you haven't seen it yet, right?" Nora butt in, clearly done with Pyrrha's stuttering awkwardness.

"No, I haven't. I don't really watch-"

The girl waved her hand dismissively. "Yup, yup, I know." Turning to Jaune, she asked, "And _you _haven't seen it either, right mister?"

Jaune sighed wearily. "No. I haven't been able to convince anyone-"

"O-kay," Nora sang, clapping her hands together eagerly. Turning to the redhead, she asked, "So. Pyrrha. You free tomorrow night?"

"Um, well," she murmured, trading confused looks with Jaune, "Other than our training, no- so, I suppose so?"

Nora continued, "And you, Jaune?"

"No, I don't have anything going on right now. Why?"

"Perfect!" the orange-haired girl chirped, jumping with glee. "Well, since _I'm _super busy, and Ren totally will be too-"

"No I'm not," the boy admitted, groaning in pain when the girl elbowed him in the stomach.

"-you two should totally go watch it! Together! Just you two! Since you're free! Go watch two movies, let Pyrrha pick the second one!" The girl crossed her arms and nodded, utterly satisfied by her own plans. "Yup. It'll be great. Have fun, kids!" With that, Nora grabbed the stack of finished pancakes with one hand, Ren with the other, and skipped out of the lounge, leaving the two of them utterly baffled.

"Um…" Jaune gaped at the door, squinting at the door, confused. "What was that?"

_Nora, you're the actual worst. _Pyrrha sighed, biting her lip, desperately fighting back the giant grin which threatened to colour her cheeks. _…I'll go buy her some chocolate later. She's a genius._

"I suppose," the redhead murmured carefully, "that means we're going to the movies tomorrow?"

Jaune blinked at Pyrrha slowly, expression still befuddled. However, as the gears in his head gradually processed this new turns of events, his eyes began to shine, ecstatic. "You'll watch it with me?" She smiled tenderly in response, and he practically _glowed. _"Alright, Pyrrha. You and me, we're gonna take Vale by storm tomorrow!" He ran up to her, placing a hand on her back and using the other to draw grandly in the air before her. "Movie night will be _awesome. _I think I have enough points saved up to cover you, too!"

"…Of course you have _points." _

"It's called being a smart shopper!"

At that, Pyrrha laughed, and laughed, and laughed, collapsing onto a nearby barstool and letting her head fall onto the countertop. It was cool against her flushed cheeks, and she welcomed it. _Nora… you're dangerous, _she giggled internally. She just knew that the orange-haired girl would demand every single juicy detail from her the next night.

But she didn't mind- she had a movie date with Jaune. He probably didn't think of it like that, but she'd treasure it. And that was more than she would've ever been able to ask for by herself, even though she already knew she wouldn't be able to remember the plot of either of the films they were about to watch. She had never been a movie person, anyways.


	5. petticoats

_Summary: Jaune's not very good at removing petticoats, although he really should be, by now. Pyrrha's not very good at undressing Jaune, no matter how much Nora likes to tease that she 'should be', by now. _

_Genres: Romance & Humour_

This is set directly after the Vol. 2 dance.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

petticoats

It wasn't the first time Jaune had worn a petticoat, sadly enough.

He admitted this fact to Pyrrha, leaving the girl in stitches as he pouted, red-faced and exhausted. He was hunched over on a desk chair, sitting criss-crossed as he desperately attempted to undo the corset holding his dress against his ribs. "Don't laugh at me, my sisters were mean," the boy grumbled when she finally took pity on him and began unlacing the ribbons for him. However, even when the corset had been opened, the strapless, sweetheart cut still hung against his painfully-flat chest, refusing to fall away.

Pyrrha raised a brow, inspecting the dress. "Why won't it…?" Then, she saw the thin, clear straps which had been forced over Jaune's biceps without her noticing, holding the top in place, and she doubled over, giggling relentlessly.

Jaune immediately pushed her away, light despite his annoyance. "What is it?" he moaned, pulling the plastic straps hanging down his arms to no avail. Every attempt to remove the straps pulled dangerously against the stitching of the dress itself, threatening a tear.

"You realize that those straps are meant to help you _hang up _the dress, and not for when you wear it, right?" she stumbled through another fit of giggles. "Why would you even-"

"Just 'cause I've worn dresses before, it doesn't mean that I know everything about them!" he squealed, much to her amusement.

She wiped a few tears of laughter away, reaching over to her desk where her stationary sat. Picking up a pair of scissors, she murmured, "I'll just cut you out. It won't destroy the dress, don't worry- I just don't want you to accidentally rip the bodice by stretching too much."

The blond crossed his arms and scowled childishly as she snipped the plastic restraints away, freeing him at last. "I don't even know what a bodice is," he sulked, but he allowed her to manoeuvre the straps around his arms anyways. When he finally moved his arms away from his chest, the top half of the dress crumpled down his broad, defined torso, bunching up around his waist.

Pyrrha took a step back, surveying her work. "Why did you even have a dress your size, anyway?" she asked gently, trying to fight back another wave of chuckles.

The blond sighed, running fingers through sweat-soaked hair. "I, ugh… one of my sisters packed it for me as a joke," he explained at last. "I was gonna get rid of it, but then it was buried under my stuff so I didn't think about it all year, and then I remembered our bet tonight and Fox let me borrow his ironing board and-"

The girl clutched her sides, giving into the urge to laugh once again. "I still can't believe you did that." Her eyes drifted down from his pouty expression, and for the first time, she actually _looked _at the picture before her. The blond was still seated, cross-legged (and highly unladylike) on his chair, with the bodice of his dress falling down around his waist, revealing a toned torso and defined muscles. She could see basketball shorts peeking up from under his ruffled skirt and petticoat, but even through the chiffon she could see how built his figure had become over their months of training. Other than his uniform, the boy was usually either wearing his hoodie, his armour, or his silly onesie, which made seeing what he really looked like underneath those baggy, concealing clothes practically impossible. And yet, here he was, vulnerable and exposed and looking much stronger than Pyrrha could've ever imagined him to be.

Immediately, she turned on her heel, biting down her own blushes. "I-I should wash up," she murmured, slipping off her heels. She let out a tiny sigh of relief as she felt her feet hit the ground, level once more. Then, she shuffled into the closet she shared with Nora, pyjamas in hand, closing the door behind her. _I'll just hang this dress back up, then go wash off this makeup- _As she formulated her plan, each word deliberate and focused in her mind to prevent her thoughts from slipping back to the decidedly-shirtless blond still sitting innocently outside, she tugged the dress up and over her head-

Only for her head to get yanked up with it.

_Oh no. _Carefully, she straightened the dress back up, feeling the tug on her circlet as she tried to undo the zipper holding the dress up. Somehow, it had gotten caught onto the chain of her circlet when she pulled her dress up past her head, and now she couldn't remove one without tightening and dragging on the other. She was stuck.

Sighing, she bit her lip and stumbled back out into the room. Her head was forced to tilt upwards due to the tangle. "Hey Jaune," she called, "would you mind giving me a hand?" She kept her eyes fixed on the ceiling, only allowing herself one peek to ascertain whether- _Oh, okay, yes he's still almost naked. Great-_ and immediately dragging her gaze back up to the heavens, praying he wouldn't sense her shyness.

Thankfully, the blond had never been very good at tact. "Sure, let me help," the boy offered, immediately standing up. The dress sagged at his waist, but thanks to the lift from the fluffy petticoat still hiked up around narrow hips, the white piece continued to hang limply off his figure as he stood. Pyrrha gulped as the boy approached, still very shirtless and now very much in her close proximity. Due to the tilt of her head, she was forced to angle her face upwards towards him, close enough to see the light blond stubble dotting his chin. Although she had been this close to him for practically half the night- they _had _danced the night away together, after all- now that they were alone in their room, everything was just so much more… intimate.

Completely unaware of the effect he was having on her and her palpitating heart, Jaune reached up and brushed her hair away from her circlet, dragging his finger down the chain in question. She winced at the pull, but it was more in reaction to his presence than out of discomfort. "Ah," he hummed, "I see where it got tangled. Leave it to me!"

So, of course, as he reached his arms up around her shoulders to gently untangle the chain from her hair (mussed from when she tried removing the dress) and unwittingly drew her in close (it was just to reach farther back, although Pyrrha wanted to melt in embarrassment on the spot when he didn't just stand behind her to fix it, since the tangle was nearer to the back of her head), Nora and Ren walked into their bedroom, already washed up, with a tray of tea delicately balanced in Ren's hand.

"Your hair really got tangled up in this, huh?" he murmured lightly in her ear, causing a bolt of lightning to shoot straight up her spine, her entire body tensing at the closeness. Her gaze was transfixed in horror on the pair standing by the door, their eyes fixed on the duo inside.

Ren almost walked into Nora's frozen back, a slight frown on his face when he had to readjust his grip on the tray. The orange-haired girl, on the other hand, openly grinned at the redhead, pale blue eyes glittering evilly as she took in the sight of a half-naked Jaune standing mere inches from Pyrrha, his back mostly to the door, his arms reaching around the hold the back of her head.

Catching Pyrrha's eye over Jaune's shoulder, the shorter girl mouthed silently, "_I _knew _you could do it! Be safe, don't do anything you can't tell Ruby!_" and grabbed Ren's arm. The confused boy yelped quietly as she dragged him back out of the room, closing the door behind them. Unfortunately, Pyrrha saw the leering wink the other girl sent her through the crack in the door just before it shut completely.

Enough was enough. Pyrrha stepped away from Jaune, covering her burning face with one hand as she blindly reached for Jaune's bed with the other. Finding what she was looking for, she shifted to hide her face from the blond and tossed the boy's pyjamas into his face, leaving him confused and disoriented.

"Pyrrha, what are you doing?!" the boy cried, stumbling backwards onto his chair. The petticoat finally slipped down, letting the entire cocktail dress pool around his ankles as he took a seat clumsily. The girl simply stared at his face, eyes drifting down- _No!_

"Jaune, get dressed, _please,"_ the girl pleaded, keeping her voice as calm as possible. It… wasn't very calm.

"Why are you mad?" Jaune spluttered, pulling his onesie off his face. Pyrrha didn't reply- refusing to let him see her embarrassment, she instead bolted out of the room as quickly as she could, grabbing her pyjamas and toiletries on the way out.

As she sprinted down the hall in her slippers, her Scroll buzzed in her pocket. Taking refuge in the girls' bathroom, she ran into a shower stall and pulled out the buzzing device. Her eyes ran over the messages, and all she could do was choke down her indignant, mortified cries as Nora flooded their private text chat with thumbs-ups, flames, confetti and winking faces over and over again.

_Nothing happened, Nora, _she texted weakly.

The girl immediately replied, _I didn't know you were so good at undressing him, Pyrrha! _

The redhead groaned, tossing her Scroll into her bag. _Having roommates is painful, _she thought wearily. As she sighed, she attempted to pull the collar of her dress over her head, then paused, feeling the tug of her circlet's chain stick upon the zipper. _…I'm still stuck, aren't I?_

She untangled herself eventually- it just wasn't very graceful. Jaune had a way of making her clumsier than usual.


	6. smoothies, or maybe gin

_Summary: Pyrrha only wishes that sober Jaune saw her as much as drunk Jaune._

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Romance_

This is set at the start of their journey to Haven in S4.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

smoothies, or maybe gin

He told her that she was beautiful.

"I'm really not," she muttered embarrassedly, but he insisted, over and over again.

It cut her from the inside, realizing that he was the best friend that she had ever had. Even closer than Nora, even closer than Ren or Ruby- his smile was enough to heal all of her wounds.

It hurt her to think that she had met Qrow, that she had met his supply of gin.

He had smiled at her sadly, but she knew that she wasn't ready for the battle ahead. She wasn't ready to face Jaune again.

The blond grinned, handing her a drink half-heartedly.

_I'm going to be a Maiden._

And she hated herself.

She wanted to be by his side till the end, but he still thought that they'd grab smoothies after the match.

_We were better off as friends._

She could only wish that alcohol wasn't involved- at least then, she wouldn't have to accept that it was only physical.


	7. lighting fires

_Summary: Jaune is about to make Pyrrha's birthday one she'd remember forever. There's a reason they don't let him into the kitchen._

_Genres: Romance & Humour_

This is set in Vol. 2.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

lighting fires

"Jaune," Weiss practically screeched, "what in the world do you think you're doing?!" The girl huffed and panted, her Myrtenaster blade clutched tightly in hand with emptied blue cartridges at her side. Smoke billowed out of their communal dormitory lounge behind her, black and thick, forcing everyone unfortunate enough to be caught in it to double over, coughing. Icicles formed of Dust protruded out of the lounge door, quenching the flames which had raged on within, a stark contrast to the usually-peaceful building.

The blond in question sighed, running fidgety fingers through his hair. His face was smudged with soot and burned flour, eyes forlorn as he dug his heels into the hallway carpet. "I'm really sorry," he mumbled glumly.

Pyrrha patted him on the shoulder, keeping her tone kind despite her own dismay. "Jaune, we were just about to head out for dinner. It's Sunday, remember? So, what were you doing in there?" she asked gently.

He frowned, averting his gaze. "I… I was just trying to make something…" He pouted, but the guilt in his eyes didn't abate.

Professor Goodwitch walked into the fray, commanding students aside with her sharp strut and icy glare alone. "What is the meaning of this?" she called, demanding answers.

Jaune flinched. Without even missing a beat, Weiss pointed an accusatory finger at the blond, who attempted to hide, with little success, behind Pyrrha's tall frame. "Jaune somehow set the _entire_ lounge on fire!" she screeched. The girl spun around to glare at the crowd of students which had gathered. "And all of you- do literally _none _of you have a water-linked Semblance? Why do I have to do this?!" She huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance. "Now my dress has soot on it."

Glancing over to Jaune's dejected, puppy-like expression, the harshness in the Huntress's eyes eased slightly. "Well," she said at last, picking her words carefully, "I'll inspect the damage, but it's good no one was hurt. Mr. Arc, please explain yourself." Before everyone else could listen in, the woman snapped her riding crop in the air. "And the rest of you can wait outside."

Meekly, everyone else headed out the door, including Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and Team RWBY and SSSN. They formed in a semicircle on the grass outside, watching the movement within the building dubiously. The only person who protested was the heiress, the girl grumbling bitterly, "But I don't want to go to Vale if I can't change! I smell like smoke now!"

"Aw, Weiss, it's all good," Neptune soothed, winking at the pale girl. "You still look great. The grey works on you."

Instantly, the girl flushed and looked away, replying with much less resistance, "Well, I still don't think we should all be kicked out…"

Knowing that the angry girl would quickly acquiesce to Neptune's charms, Pyrrha turned back to the door of the dormitory. Outside of their kitchen and lounge, angry black smoke still drifted out of the opened windows- thankfully, with Jaune and Professor Goodwitch walking out soon after, it was clear that there wasn't any permanent damage.

"Miss Schnee, thank you for putting out the fire quickly. Now, all of you should go and spend the evening in Vale," the Huntress ordered. "We'll have your lounge fixed up by the time you return- it'll just take a little while to assess the structural integrity of the building, and we'll need the place clear for that."

"Thanks, professor," Jaune mumbled. "I'm really, _really _sorry."

To everyone's surprise, however, the blonde smiled, gentle and knowing eyes glancing over to Pyrrha quickly before returning to the miserable boy. "Don't this again, Mr. Arc," she said wryly before walking away.

Sun whistled, impressed as Jaune returned to the group. "How did you manage to hide from Goodwitch's wrath?" he poked immediately. "I would've thought she'd _kill _you for that."

"What were you doing in the lounge anyways, Jaune?" Ruby asked, all amused exasperation. "Are you okay?"

The blond waved off all of their concerns. "Guys, don't worry about it. Let's just go for dinner- our reservation is coming up, right?"

Everyone traded curious glances, but seeing how frantic the boy's bright blue eyes shone, they all collectively decided to let him rest for the moment. So, the group wandered down Main Avenue to the docks, where they boarded an airship to Vale. It was their weekly noodle night, and this week they were all more than ready to see their favourite shopkeeper again.

"Jaune, is everything okay?" Pyrrha asked gently when they finally stepped into the restaurant. She hadn't wanted to press the issue, but the longer that no one said anything about the literal fire which had burned under the boy just a while before, the more antsy he became.

He scoffed. "Me? Pft, yeah, I'm totally fine, Pyrrha," he replied, but his voice was distracted, eyes lingering on her worriedly for just a moment before he pulled out his Scroll. The blond took a seat at the corner of their table, secretly flipping through info on his Scroll, away from the prying eyes of their friends. Pyrrha traded worried glances with Nora and Ren, but the two just shrugged and focused back on the menu for the night, leaving the redhead alone to fret in the back of her mind.

Dinner was fun, as usual. About halfway through, Jaune seemed to resolve what he had been concerned about, and the boy finally relaxed. That, in turn, lightened Pyrrha's heart, and by the end of their meal, she was feeling full and happy and refreshed.

Rather than heading back to the airship port with them, however, Jaune split off from the larger group. "You guys all go ahead. I need to buy something for… one of my sisters!"

Everyone traded raised eyebrows and deadpan expressions. Jaune was an awful liar.

Yet, the sleepy buzz from having such full stomachs made the students all complacent. Nora motioned for the boy to go his own way, and Ren yawned widely. "Text if you're dying," the girl mumbled, half-asleep on Ren's shoulder already. "We'll come save you."

"Let us know if you'll be late, okay?" Pyrrha murmured. The blond paused, smiling back meaningfully before walking down the street towards the central district.

"I wonder what that's about?" Ruby pondered aloud. "He's usually the first to come back and fall asleep on Sundays."

Yang shrugged before a mischievous, enthused grin suddenly lit her face. "Ooh, maybe he's got a secret girlfriend-"

But Nora held up a finger to the girl's lips. "Nuh-uh. No. Jaune doesn't date other girls."

"'Other' girls?" Blake asked curiously, amused.

The orange-haired girl pretended to zip her lips up and throw away the key as they finally boarded an airship. The girl then turned around to look at Pyrrha and winked, leaving the redhead a deep crimson, groaning in embarrassment. Thankfully, she was the last one to board the ship, and no one else saw the silly exchange.

Soon, the group found themselves relaxing in the newly-repaired lounge. Professor Goodwitch had made short work of the cleanup- each surface shone, freshly-waxed and reupholstered with such speed, it was as if nothing had occurred at all that day. Ren commented, "Those curtains had needed to be replaced for years. I guess Jaune lighting it all on fire was a good thing."

Everyone laughed together, then their voices quieted down into separate, friendly conversations. It was hard for Pyrrha to focus, though- her mind remained stuck on the blond. _Why did he have to go to Vale? _she wondered.

Her questions were answered surprisingly quickly. Her Scroll buzzed and she laughed, waving goodbye to Nora, Ren and the rest of Team RWBY and SSSN in the lounge. The notification was from Jaune- he had managed to catch the first airship back after their departure. She sighed, a bit relieved knowing that his errand had gone smoothly.

The next text from Jaune, asking for one of their usual quick sparring sessions, had seemed innocent enough at first. However, as she made her way to the rooftop, she paused, taking a moment to reflect. It was Sunday night, and she was still incredibly full from dinner. Knowing Jaune's usual habits, he would be the same- so why train to close off the weekend, when combat practice would resume officially the next day in class?

These doubts melted away instantly when she stepped onto the rooftop, only to see an awaiting Jaune holding out a red velvet cupcake with an unlit candle sticking it out of the thick frosting swirled on top. "Happy birthday, Pyrrha!" he cried, smiling from ear to ear.

She froze. "What…?"

"It's your birthday, right?" Jaune grinned devilishly, handing her the cupcake with a proud light in his eyes. "I figured you didn't want to make a big deal out of it, since you didn't say anything to anyone, but you can't keep these things from your partner, Pyrrha. We're a team, remember?"

All she could do was blink blankly at him, eyes drifting back and forth between the soft cupcake in her hands and Jaune's excited expression. The blond was right- it was indeed her birthday. She hadn't even kept track- how did he even know? When had he found the time to even buy it? They had been together all- "Did… did you go into Vale to buy this today?"

He puffed his chest proudly. "Yup, and you never even suspected a thing! I'm pretty impressed with myself, y'know."

The redhead paused, looking at the cupcake in her hands in awe. The gears in her head slowly turned, and she couldn't contain the disbelief which crept into her tone. "Wait, Jaune- you were using the oven this morning- is _this _why you almost set the dorms on fire today?"

The blond blushed a deep red, bravado fading immediately into a childish pout. "Look, I don't know how to bake, okay?" he groaned, crossing his arms. "I tried! I really did! But back at home I was always put on dishwashing duty. How was I supposed to know that flour could burn so easily?"

Pyrrha's disbelief was quickly followed up by giggles, transforming into hearty laughter soon enough. Jaune had tried baking her a birthday cake, of all things- and when it had failed, he had ventured into downtown Vale to buy her one instead? "Jaune, you _didn't _have to!"

"But I did, Pyrrha!" he explained. "The only reason I knew about your birthday is because Professor Goodwitch let it slip last week when Nora mentioned our noodle trips to her!" He sighed, faking annoyance. "You should be grateful that I realized you didn't want to make a big deal of it, 'cause I kept it from Nora and Ren- otherwise, you _know _they would have planned something ridiculous today."

That image brought out a snort from the girl. He certainly wasn't wrong. It just wasn't in her to make a big deal of events like birthdays and anniversaries. She shrugged, walking to the edge of the rooftop. She took a seat, Jaune following close behind. "I've never really celebrated it much," she murmured. "In Sanctum, there was always an intra-academy tournament during this time, so my mother has always just made me focus on that instead. We haven't really done anything for my birthday since I was a little girl."

The blond looked absolutely appalled. "What?! How is that even possible? Birthdays are important!"

"All it means is that I'm a year older legally," she rolled her eyes.

He wagged a condescending finger at her, the image of sage wisdom. "No, young pupil," he scolded in a grandiose voice, "a birthday signifies the wisdom and growth you have gained! All which you have accomplished! The memories you've made!" Letting his voice go back to normal, soft and reassuring, he added, "And it gives the people who care about you a chance to show you just how much they care."

She shook with laughter. It was moments like these that rekindled the flame she held in her heart for the boy, undoubtedly. He could be so sweet.

He wasn't done yet, however. Reaching into his pocket, the blond revealed a small matchbook. "I wanted to light it _before _you came," he confessed, embarrassed, "but I figured after this morning's incident…"

"…it's… probably best if I-"

"No! I can do it!" The boy lit a match after a few clumsy strikes, lighting the candle carefully. "See? I just needed some moral support. So, time to make a wish!" He scooted closer to her, near enough that their shoes bumped into one another off the ledge of the roof. With an expression of pure excitement, he urged, "C'mon, make your wish! You've gotta keep it secret though, otherwise it won't come true."

That which welled up in her eyes were comforting, happy tears, the nostalgia coursing through her too much to bear. It truly had been years since she had seen a birthday candle lit up for her- those little flames hadn't fluttered before her eyes ever since her father passed.

She swallowed down the thought. She didn't want to taint the image of the pristine cupcake in her hands with any sort of sadness. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath- in, out, _1, 2-_

And blew out the tiny flame, leaving them both in stark darkness, the half-moon their only source of light.

Jaune clapped delightedly. "Congrats, Pyrrha! You made it!"

The redhead had to bite down the sob which wanted to wrench its way out of her throat. _It's been so long since I've done this. _But she wasn't upset- she was just content, so wholeheartedly it was almost overwhelming.

When she didn't immediately bite down into the cupcake, however, Jaune began to fret. The boy ran his hands through his hair sheepishly, averting his gaze. "I, um… I wasn't sure what flavour you'd want, since you like, _never _eat dessert, but I asked the lady who worked at the bakery downtown and she said this one is really popular!" He deflated slightly after a moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you a whole cake. I only got there right before they closed- I got sort of lost on the way."

Pyrrha took a tentative lick of the frosting. It was chocolate cream cheese, and the decadence made her mouth go dry. She had never been a fan of sweets, even when she was a child- and once she had become competitive in combat tournaments, her mother had mostly banned any form of dessert in their home in order for the girl to maintain her fighting figure.

And yet, with Jaune's hopeful gaze still resting upon her, the cupcake tasted more delicious than anything she had ever eaten before.

"You don't… _dislike _red velvet though, right?" His wide eyes were filled with anxiety, and Pyrrha's heart practically melted into putty.

She shook her head, hiding her face behind her bangs. The heat in her cheeks would be hidden by the darkness, but she still didn't feel comfortable with him seeing the effect he had on her. "I'm _more _than happy with this, Jaune," she murmured at last, taking a dainty nibble.

The boy pumped his fist in the air. "Oh yeah, nailed it! Thanks, random baker lady!"

She rolled her eyes, removing the candle and placing it at her side.

"So?" The boy's eyes were expectant, egging her on. "You can't tell me what you wished for, but I want to be able to get you something, Pyrrha. Birthdays are a big deal! So, what do you want?"

"Well…" She leaned back, wrapping her arms around her knees, glancing up at the silhouette of Beacon Tower in the distance. The clock chimed the eleventh hour, and darkness had long since overtaken the campus. In the night, it felt like all that really existed in that moment was the blond by her side.

Jaune leaned forward, eagerly anticipating her response.

Pyrrha grinned. "Will you be here for my birthday next year, Jaune?"

He paused, searching her eyes. After a moment, his eyes softened, and he replied, "Yeah, I will." Backpedalling quickly, he spluttered, "W-well, I mean, if I don't fail finals first- not like that's my plan, but like, you know how Professor Goodwitch's exams go, and I'm kinda nervous, and-"

"Jaune," she murmured, bumping his shoulder with hers reassuringly, "you'll be fine for next year."

"Yeah." He exhaled slowly, relaxing once more. "Yeah. And because I'll pass- somehow," he added with a cheeky grin, "-I promise I'll be here."

She smiled back, looking up at the sky once more. "That's all I could want." She could feel Jaune's eyes lingering on her, but she pulled away, nibbling on the cake quietly.

"For future reference," the boy asked curiously, "what _is _your favourite?"

Pyrrha paused. That was certainly a hard question. The only answer her brain could come up with was accompanied by memories of Nora and Ren and, of course, Jaune. "Chocolate," she replied easily, before she could even second-guess herself. It was surprising to hear how smoothly that answer fell past her lips. In reality, chocolate had never been her favourite flavour- she had once found the sweetness to be cloying- but ever since coming to Beacon, the sweet taste had become synonymous with her loved ones, and the thought of them sent ripples of joy through her soul. Her smile grew, confidence in her answer growing at that realization.

Thanks to this little cupcake, though, she quickly amended her answer in her heart- she didn't mind red velvet, either.

A hand reached over and unceremoniously swiped some of the frosting off. "Hey!" she protested.

Jaune's eyes creased mischievously, and all she could do was smile shyly back. "You have some on your face, you know." She quickly ducked her head and wiped the buttercream off her nose, practically burning with embarrassment. Savouring the chocolate cream cheese buttercream, the blond murmured, "And you'll be there for mine, right?"

The tenderness which welled up in her heart couldn't be put into words. "As long as you'll have me." Jaune's ears grew red, and they enjoyed the silence together peacefully for just a little longer.

Eventually, the cake was done, and Jaune decided to head back. Pyrrha hung out for a little while longer, enjoying the fresh air.

Long ago, this rooftop had filled her with so much inner turmoil. Now, however, there were so many happy memories associated with it. And somehow, as she flipped through the pages in her mind, every single one contained Jaune.

_I'm so lucky._

With a warm heart, she finally wandered back to their bedroom and got ready for bed. By the time she came back to her room, tucking her toiletries away and stretching tiredly, Jaune and her other teammates were nothing more than lumps under covers. She yawned, ready to join them in slumber at any moment. It had been a tiring day, and Monday morning classes were only a few hours away.

As she sat on the edge of her bed, ready to slip under the covers at any moment, her hand brushed over a solid shape jutting out from under her pillow. To her surprise, what lay underneath it was actually an envelope. Pyrrha raised a brow, picking it up hesitantly.

Based on the messy writing on the envelope, it had come from Jaune. The redhead glanced over to Nora, checking to see if the other girl had seen the item- thankfully, she was already asleep facing away from Pyrrha, meaning that the redhead was able to tuck the envelope under her arm and scurry out the door as quietly as possible.

Taking a seat just in the hall, Pyrrha settled on the floor and leaned back against the wall. With deft fingers, she slit open the envelope and pulled out a card, amusement already growing when she saw the red and yellow cover. It was a gag card. On the front, it was written in a lovely, cursive font, 'Um… thanks for putting up with my stupidity'.

She bit back a grin, flipping the card open. Scrawled inside (surprisingly neat for Jaune- upon closer inspection, she could see little pencil guidelines to keep the words straight having been clumsily erased, little bits still peeking through the eraser streaks, and she had to stifle a giggle) were the words, 'You make me a better leader, and you make this team worth leading. Thanks for always being there for me.' And, underneath it all, he had signed it simply- 'Jaune'.

Pyrrha's heart swelled up in her chest as she saw the tiny, scribbled-out remnants of a signature in front of that name- and, amongst those many attempts, the word 'Love' written clumsily as the last attempt.

It took Pyrrha a long time to go back into their room that night. Her face burned too brightly, the card clutched a little too tightly in her hands against her heart. When she finally walked back in, however, she found a little bar of chocolate from the vending machine, clumsily wrapped with twine, lying on her pillow where the card had sat previously. The boy didn't stir upon her return, but the self-satisfaction that radiated off of his curled-up figure almost made her laugh aloud.

She knew he didn't mean it all the way she wanted him to. Yet, it didn't matter. It was hard for her not to love Jaune anyways, and she was alright with that.


	8. intimidation factors

_Summary: Ozpin as cute-little-boy Oscar is, in Pyrrha's opinion, far less intimidating than what she had to deal with back when she was at Beacon._

_Genres: Humour_

This is set in V5E3, during that fun little conversation near the end.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

intimidation factors

Her eyes blinked open, slow but sure. _How much time has passed? _There was no answer, though. She could never truly tell what was going on from her resting place, blanketed deep within Jaune's Aura. Every once in a while, her consciousness would rise back into awareness, and rather than being able to just float in the white void, she would look through Jaune's heart and survey his situation. It was hard to tell whether what she was seeing was the current reality, or just a memory highlighted in his heart- but either way, she was more than happy to accept the awareness. It was one thing to be able to feel his warmth. But once in a while, she just wanted to see his smile again.

The familiar tendrils of Jaune's Aura, burning bright white and gentle and soft, pulled away from her body as she straightened out, creeping questioningly towards her hands.

"May I see them all?" she whispered, pulling her Semblance out to her hands. The black glow of her polarity began to creep along her skin, nostalgic and comforting. The white glow immediately began to mingle with her powers and glow a loving grey, making her heart pulse, full to the brim with affection. Through her newly-reopened Aura channels, Jaune's Aura immediately sent feelers into her veins, climbing through her soul until they found her Aura.

And, without hesitation, she let them meld with the tiny flame pulsing in her chest, and the darkness overtook her.

The darkness faded at last, and she awoke in a cozy living room. She didn't recognize it, but it was a lovely area, with a few couches arranged around a low coffee table in the center. It undeniably felt like a safe house. And, glancing at the faces scattered around the room, the relief filling her chest only confirmed that title. Looking much like the last she had seen them, Jaune, Nora, Ren and Ruby were all present, whole and healthy and well.

_You're alright. Everyone made it, wherever you were going, _she realized warmly. _Thank goodness. _

Then, she noticed the young man seated upon the lone armchair, looking far too wise for his obviously-youthful features. _Who is he? _Pyrrha wondered, watching his face with interest. Seated upon the next couch over was Qrow, the older Huntsman looking at this newcomer with such rapt attention that the intrigue only grew within the redhead.

"This is perfect!" Nora cried, waving frantically at the short boy seated awkwardly on the armchair. "We were stuck at a dead end, but now, we can just take _little-cute-boy-Ozpin_ to Lionheart and have him set things straight!"

_Ozpin? _Then, Pyrrha's eyes trailed to the side of the armchair, where a familiar cane was leaned up against the red upholstery.

The same voice she remembered from so many worrying conversations during her time at Beacon slipped past the boy's lips. "Please don't call me that," Professor Ozpin's voice called, the boy's eyes flashing tiredly.

Pyrrha's mouth fell agape. _No. No no no. You- you weren't- but-_

Her brain slowly searched for answers, any sort of reasoning to explain the phenomenon occurring before her very eyes falling short. This fourteen-year-old boy, scuffed and dirty and stunted, was the former headmaster of Beacon?

She tuned out the rest of the conversation between the six speakers, letting her eyes settle on Jaune instead. The blond merely stood with arms crossed, brow furrowed as he took in this information. _You'll be okay, Jaune, _she thought, reaching out a hand to him. _But… do _you _know what's happening?_ Just as usual, the barrier pulled her away- but, somehow, she was able to get within a few inches of him. Perhaps due to her presence, magnetized towards the red ring she could feel still tucked away upon Jaune's chest, the boy leaned towards her, eyes snapping to the empty space where her spirit stood once before looking back at this… _new _'Professor Ozpin'.

Suddenly, the young man leapt backwards onto the armchair, twirling his cane primly in his hands. Pyrrha could only blink at him as he continued speaking- on what, she didn't know, she was _so confused- Why is he so little? _she kept repeating to herself over and over again- and then, his body glowed green and white with the sheen of Aura, and his face shifted from confident to panic-stricken. The boy lost his balance on the chair, took a misstep back, and toppled the entire piece of furniture, crumbling to the ground with a heavy thud. "You've gotta be kidding me," a much younger voice emerged from behind the chair, pained and weary.

Everyone in the room traded odd expressions, leaving Pyrrha out of sorts.

_…So that's really Professor Ozpin? _A part of her was undeniably happy- it had been terrifying to hear his battle with Cinder, to hear the final explosions fade away without his footsteps following them. While she didn't know why he was in the body of a young man- someone named Oscar, she quickly learned as Ruby helped him to his feet- his soul had somehow survived. Magic continued to play a part in this tale, clearly.

Yet, there was a small, vindictive part of her that couldn't help but home in on just one thought:

_Professor Ozpin kept cornering me during my time at Beacon. I was terrified, over and over again. As Beacon's headmaster, he always knew too much, shared too little. _A snort erupted in her throat unbidden. _If he had looked like _that, _however, I honestly would've been so much less scared. _

Nora slung an arm around the young man's neck, grinning evilly when he tried to pull away. "Aww, cute little boy Ozpin is embarrassed. It's _adorable!" _she shrieked brightly, eliciting a deep blush from the boy.

"Look, Ozpin was right, _please _don't call me that," Oscar whined, pulling away from her to no avail.

Pyrrha crossed her arms, watching the scene in amusement. Jaune took a seat on the couch, so she sat upon the armrest as close as she could go. Perhaps unconsciously, he leaned close to her, and she leaned back as far as the barriers would allow. _She's not wrong, though, _she thought, an amused smile emerging at last. The young boy spluttered as Ruby laughed at him, Ren gently prying Nora away from the shorter boy._ He's so tiny now. _In her mind's eye, she quickly replaced all of her memories of the Professor Ozpin she remembered- tall, imposing, quiet and subdued in his worry and knowledge and cunning- with this young man, all wide hazel eyes and prepubescent limbs and heated cheeks under a messy brown mop of hair and a smattering of dark, homely freckles.

All she could do was laugh helplessly at the image of the boy presenting speeches on their initiation day, or showing her the chess set in the headmaster's office. These new images didn't sting at all. They were just… nostalgic, if sad, memories. And, whether by coincidence or by the connection of their Auras, Jaune laughed along right on time, too.


	9. gardens

_Summary: Pyrrha and Jaune have to garden for Professor Peach._

_Genres: Romance_

Set in Vol. 2.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

gardens

The rain had come out of nowhere, and Jaune was having none of it.

"I still feel like Professor Peach should've warned us," he muttered bitterly, wiping his forehead. His blond bangs had long ago gotten stuck against his skin, sticky and darkened in the humid air.

Pyrrha sighed, reaching into her bag, cast aside during their work in the back gardens of Beacon. "Here," she murmured, pulling out a small, folded-up umbrella. Handing it off to Jaune, she immediately got back to work weeding the woman's crops. If they weren't productive, they'd have both Professor Peach _and _Professor Goodwitch hunting them down.

And then, the warm, sticky beads of rain rolling down her cheeks suddenly stopped. Pyrrha glanced up, surprise overtaking her features as Jaune held the fold-up umbrella over her head.

"It's raining," she muttered. It was more of a statement than anything else.

He nodded sagely. "I don't want you to get sick."

In her mind, Pyrrha imagined standing up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his- soft and supple and _perfect. _But that wasn't life.

So she stood, brushing his hair out of his eyes so tenderly that even someone as dense as him could realize how she felt. "The rain isn't so bad," she murmured gently.

"Nothing's so bad with you, Pyrrha," he replied absentmindedly.

Oh, how she _wished _he would say those things when she was by his side on a clear day. For now, though, she could only smile before turning back to the crop. "You say that now, Jaune."

"What do you mean, 'now'?"

"I mean exactly what I said."

"…I don't get it."

She smiled. "I know you don't." She loved him anyway.


	10. pastels

_Summary: Pyrrha tries easing her anxieties with music. What she needed, at the end of the day, was Jaune. _

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Romance_

This is set at the start of Vol. 2.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

pastels

_You're not good enough for anyone. _

The black box's whispers were haunting. Her nights had long since become a never-ending stream of negativity, tossing and turning relentlessly. Her Aura bar was never full, and the weariness from that burden was weighing her heart down more heavily than anything else she could imagine.

She just wanted to feel _proud _again.

But nothing was alright. Ever since her mother had told her of the destruction of her father's workshop, there was no joy to be had. How could she be alright with anything, now that there was veritably nowhere to call 'home' anymore?

She dreamed a lot. Each of those dreams were so painfully loud, the clanking of metal ringing in her ears, sparks hissing and flying into the air from the forge, her father's loving, hearty voice echoing through her heart. She could still remember his voice, even after all these years. "Little fireball, don't cry," he whispered each time she tried to speak in those visions. Her childlike voice in her dreams could never convey just how broken she felt every single time she saw him again, the regret and shame from not being able to save the last bits of his legacy filling her with self-hatred over and over again.

_If only I could have stopped her! _The wish was futile, and her mother's deeds were done- but the little piece of her heart that still longed for home wouldn't cease its cries. And thus, the ache continued.

Surprisingly, it was Blake who noticed first. The dark circles under Blake's eyes had only grown darker and darker since the incident at the docks over the winter break. She had quietly been falling apart, although for reasons Pyrrha could only imagine- whereas Pyrrha's crumbling identity stemmed from her own internal struggles, she was still seen as a pillar for future Huntsman around the world. To have gone through what Blake had experienced was unimaginable for the redhead.

Yet, Blake was the one who had an answer first. Pyrrha found her listening to something blankly one day, curled up under an awning under dreary clouds. The rain had just ceased, but the girl's headphones blocked out the final pattering of raindrops, anyways. While they weren't exactly close, Pyrrha's heart always went out to the quiet girl, so she had taken a seat by her side to check in on the Faunus girl.

Blake hadn't said much. "It's white noise," she'd murmured. "It just- sometimes I just need everything… to stop." She looked up at the redhead, gaze rueful. "It might help you too." There was a kindred light in her eyes, and that had both hurt Pyrrha (for when had she become so transparent? So weak? The box _cackled) _and healed her, providing her a feeling of companionship she hadn't felt in her despair for a while.

_Make it all stop- just for a little while. _That had sounded nice to the redhead. So, she had downloaded a long white noise audio clip onto her Scroll and curled up one Sunday in their lounge, listening to it.

She had given up in a scant few minutes. The black box's voice seemed to creep out in every bubble of noise, in every creeping buzz. It only intensified the louder she turned up the volume. It was enough to drive her mad.

Nora had noticed her despair right after, the redhead walking into their room and throwing her headphones tiredly onto the bed, body language showing her tiredness despite the strained, seemingly pleasant smile affixed to her face. The orange-haired girl had merely smiled, pulling off one of her own headphones. In a rare display of quietude, Nora had been sitting sans Ren, reading a fantasy novel while Sun and his team dragged the other boy around a rainy campus on some silly adventure or the other. Jaune was still nothing but a big lump on his mattress, snores occasionally ringing through the dark room as he stirred momentarily, then fell back asleep.

"Is something up?"

Pyrrha shrugged, taking a seat at the foot of Nora's bed. "Do you… ever get wrapped up in your own head, Nora?" She was hesitant to ask, but her friend had so often shown little moments of surprising maturity and insightfulness that there was no harm in asking.

Thankfully, a flash of understanding appeared in pale blue eyes. Nora picked up her Scroll from her side, tapping away at the screen rapidly. In her trademark cheery voice, Nora replied, "Well, who cares if you do? Just drown it out!" Her voice was chipper and straightforward, not a single doubt to be heard.

Pyrrha softened. Nora knew. The girl had had her own demons to deal with since childhood, but thanks to Ren (or, Pyrrha had to acknowledge, maybe in order to _protect _Ren) she had already grown stronger than them. "And how do you do that?"

The girl motioned for Pyrrha's Scroll, so the redhead obliged and brought it over. Nora tapped a few more buttons, then with a satisfied grin, she reported proudly, "Listen to that! It's best if you're alone, though. It's kind of soothing."

Curious, Pyrrha raised a brow and examined this new file Nora had sent her. Surprisingly enough, it was just a link hosted to a music playlist on the CCTS. With a small, grateful smile, she stood, readying herself to leave.

"Nuh-uh," the orange-haired girl protested. Pyrrha turned back to her, only to see open arms extending her way. Her heart melted at the sight, and she leaned down to give the other girl a quick hug, squeezing tight.

"I'll go take a listen."

"Okay." Her voice was soft-spoken and empathetic, but her joy never faded, and that brightness gave the redhead strength.

So, Pyrrha grabbed her headphones and a novel Ren had been recommending her, pulled on a sweater, and wandered across campus to the library. The friendly librarian immediately pointed her towards a free CCT monitor, assuming she was about to make another call. The redhead's heart leapt into her throat as she shook her head, holding up her novel and pointing towards a more isolated study corner instead. _Don't make me think about calling her, please. _

Thankfully, the woman didn't press the issue. She simply smiled and gestured towards the quiet corner as well. Grateful for the privacy, Pyrrha wandered over to the study nook, finding an empty table. There was a nearby group of older students working a project, but they were far enough that their hushed voices were nothing more than whispers on the wind.

Settling into a seat by the window, Pyrrha leaned against the windowpane, glancing out to look at the campus beyond. It truly was a miserable day- pale grey clouds covered the entire horizon, leaving not even the slightest sliver of blue visible through the thick haze. Dew clung to every surface imaginable, clinging on thanks to the odd humidity, despite it already being early afternoon. She idly watched a drop of water trickle down the willowy branch brushing up against the window as she flicked through her messages, connecting to the CCT to find Nora's playlist.

The girl sighed, pressing play on the first song. She really didn't know what to expect- while Jaune was very vocal about his taste in music, Nora rarely spoke about what she liked. The bubbly girl would find a way to dance to anything, after all.

And yet, somehow, the song which began to play took her for a loop anyways. Unlike anything bright and bubbly, or loud and brash and bombastic like she might have expected, Nora's playlist began on a decidedly somber note. There was nothing more than a gentle, contemplative voice strumming along to a ukulele and a few strings, a piano plunking notes in the background to highlight the crescendos in the song. It was music of pastel hues and tender spirit.

She listened the whole way through, understanding slowly dawning on her. _It's kind of soothing, _Nora had said. Pyrrha could see why- there was nothing but warmth in the voice ringing in her ear. Not exactly what the redhead had been expecting, but there was a gentleness to it which definitely still managed to carry Nora's eternal cheer, and she could see Nora listening to the song on a rainy day like that day. Still, the words which seemed so sweet and kind on the surface lingered in her heart, leaving behind a sour taste in her mouth.

She clicked to the next song. It was the same sort of tune, light and sweet and easily digestible. So was the next, and the next, and the one after that. It was futile, looking for any relief. The sour taste only intensified until the sweetness seemed washed away, leaving behind nothing but a quiet sense of dread and loneliness.

She was still lonely. If only she was still nothing more than 'Pyrrha Nikos'- maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

Her father's kind smile flashed through her mind, and she drew a knee into her chest, staring despondently at the unopened book on the table. She didn't feel like reading anymore. However, for some reason, she also couldn't turn off the music playing in her ears, allowing herself to sink further and further into the feeling.

The black box was quiet though. That was a change.

Suddenly, a hand on her shoulder caught her attention. She glanced up, starting in her seat, dropping her legs back to the floor. Her breath halted for just a moment as she tried to process what was waiting for her.

Hunched over sleepily behind her with a blanket around his shoulders was Jaune.

"Nora said you'd be here," he whispered, yawning wide. His hair was still mussed, clearly having just woken up. He rubbed bleary eyes tiredly, swaying side to side. "She said you might not wanna do dinner today."

"I just wanted some peace and quiet," she replied, keeping her voice hushed.

Jaune reached over, plucking one of her headphones out of her ears. Before she could splutter and take it back, the boy had leaned forward on one arm, resting against the table, listening along to the crooning voice playing. The words rang of lost love and loneliness and the feeling of being incomplete- all things which Pyrrha would never know how to bring up with Jaune. She froze, panicking slightly, pulling on a neutral expression as quickly as possible.

The blond's expression was indecipherable, eyes narrowed slightly but betraying nothing. His mouth pressed into a grim line, fingers tapping on the table. Pyrrha shifted under his scrutiny, silently cursing that she hadn't found a more discreet part of the library to hide within.

To her surprise, though, rather than saying another word, he simply handed back her headphone and walked off into the many aisles of the library. She paused the music with bated breath, feeling her heartrate climb. _Oh gods. What is he thinking? This music isn't really like me. What does he think of me now?_

She didn't have much time to ponder the question. He quickly returned to her, a comic book from his favourite superhero series in hand. The blond walked up to a nearby table where the few other students were seated, murmuring in hushed tones- after a moment, he dragged the empty chair from their group back towards her and took a seat on her right side. Casting a sneaky glance around, the blond pulled his backpack in between the two, propping it up on his lap so that the opening faced her.

She raised a brow, peering into the bag. Hidden inside was a bag of dry cereal. She bit back a smile, instead chiding him with her eyes, _You know that we can't have food in here._

The boy wiggled his eyebrows mischievously in response as if to say, _What the librarian doesn't know won't hurt her._

This finally elicited a roll of her eyes and a wry smile. She glanced around to see if the coast was clear before reaching into the bag, grabbing a small handful of cereal. Opening up her palm in her lap, she had to fight down the bark of laughter which came automatically. _Pumpkin Pete's? Really?_

Jaune shrugged knowingly, taking a few dry crisps and popping them into his mouth with a cheeky smile before snuggling further into his blanket and opening up his comic book, effectively ending the conversation. She shook her head, tasting a few of the puffs herself as she turned her attention back to her book, replacing the headphone in her ears. The music resumed. This time, though, it didn't make her feel lonely- the taste was sweet.


	11. ditching

_Summary: Yang decides to take everyone to a club. It's not really Pyrrha's scene, but she doesn't mind- it's not like she'll be leaving the club alone. _

_Genres: Romance & Friendship_

This is set in Vol. 2.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

ditching

"Are you okay, Pyrrha?" a voice behind her murmured.

She smiled wistfully at Jaune, wrapping her jacket around herself a little tighter. It was a fairly chilly night, but beads of sweat still trickled down her forehead. With the amount of people in the club behind them, it was a wonder she didn't pass out of heat exhaustion- how could everyone else keep dancing in there?

"Just needed some fresh air," she murmured at last, voice cracking a little. Her throat was raw and hoarse from singing along with Nora, the excitable girl darting back and forth between their table to keep Ren company, and Yang, Blake and Ruby, the girls tearing up the dance floor. Although she would normally be more than ready for an extended night on her feet, she wasn't used to dancing so hard- especially not in _these _heels. Where Yang had managed to find her such death traps, she didn't know, but balancing in them in her already-precarious dress was stressful, and the entire affair was exhausting. How Yang had even gotten the whole underage lot into the club itself was a mystery.

Even from the curb outside of the establishment, the sound of pumping bass still reverberated through her bones, and she shuddered as another drop hit and a distant roar of patrons exploded through the air. She fanned her burning face, opening the collar of her jacket momentarily to get some airflow against her skin. She was _burning. _

She quickly gave up, though. The moment the heat left her, her blush began burning her from the inside out as she saw how pink Jaune's cheeks were, how determinedly he avoided looking at her short dress.

They stood in silence for a few moments, just catching their breath. Finally, she muttered, "I, um… I think I'm going to head back to Beacon."

"But tonight was supposed to be our 'big night out', remember?" His concern creased his brow, eyes shining worriedly as he rested a hand upon her shoulder. "Are you sure you wanna head home? It was pretty fun!"

She smiled wanly. Unbeknownst to him, her time inside had been less than ideal- with the open bar, there had been far too many young men who had approached her tipsily that night. Leering gazes and crude comments weren't exactly her idea of a 'big night out'. She was a little sick of it all, to be honest.

But he'd worry if he knew, so she simply straightened up and put on her best smile. "It's too warm in there, so I think it's a good time to head out."

"Oh… okay." He tucked his hands into his pockets glumly as she sent a quick message to their larger group chat on her Scroll, waved goodbye to Jaune, then began jogging up the street.

She was barely half a block down when footsteps pounding on the pavement caught her ear. She spun around, only to see Jaune huffing and puffing as he reached her, settling into a brisk walk by her side. "What are you doing here, Jaune? Go back inside!"

But the blond merely flashed her a cheeky grin. "Nah. I'm no good at dancing anyways."

"That's blatantly not true," she pointed out, raising a brow good-naturedly.

He rolled his eyes. "Play along, Pyrrha!" he groaned, exasperated. Clearing his throat, he pressed, "So I'm like super bad at dancing, and I'm tired, so I'm gonna head home too."

Her heart softened, but she simply shook her head with a wry smile, continuing down the road.

Before they reached the airship station, however, Jaune grabbed her arm and tugged her into a small shop. She yelped quietly in surprise, but she couldn't say anything as he brightly went up to the counter and ordered something. All she could do was wrap her coat tighter around herself and bask in the fact that the shop had some solid air conditioning- it was needed, after all, for their product.

Soon, Jaune ushered her out of the store, two small bowls of ice cream in hand. She took the chocolate scoop, poking the toppings with a spoon. "Did you seriously get _cereal _as a topping?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yup! It's _Pumpkin Pete's- _for the celebrity," Jaune teased, pointing to her bowl with a grandiose wave.

She rolled her eyes- he'd never get over the cereal advert she did, but she wasn't offended. "Why ice cream though?"

He shrugged. "It was too warm in there, and any reason to have ice cream is a good reason, right?"

She couldn't deny that fact, so she simply chuckled and dug in. It was delicious, rich and creamy and icy-cold.

Nora eventually texted her back, teasing her for leaving with Jaune, but Pyrrha didn't mind. Let the girl tease her- it didn't change the fact that she got to feed Jaune a bit of her own ice cream once they got onto the airship. And when a drunk man saw her in her light jacket and dress, choosing to make some snide comments, seeing Jaune so valiantly try and defend her was heartwarming. She ended up dealing with the stranger herself- a quick twist of his arm when he suddenly reached out to her was more than enough to send him scampering- but Jaune's indignation and care was wonderful. For the first time, she didn't regret going to the club that night.


	12. utility

_Summary: Jaune fears inadequacy. Pyrrha fears being replaced._

_Genres: Romance & Angst_

This is set at the start of Volume 2.

Let me know what you think!

OST: _Use Me _by Alec Benjamin

* * *

utility

The first day that the exchange students to Beacon actually attended combat classes was a harrowing one for Pyrrha. All she could do was watch in horror as one of the girls from Haven, a pretty little thing with enough style and grace to make even Weiss look like a country bumpkin, latched onto Jaune.

"So, blondie," the pretty, doe-eyed brunette murmured coyly at lunch afterwards, "wanna show me around Beacon?"

And the blond boy had spluttered and dropped his chicken strip on his tray clumsily, and Pyrrha's heart had fallen so far into her gut that she practically stabbed it with her heeled boots with every step.

Alex Brimstone was her name, and she burned in a way so different from Pyrrha- where the redhead was bright and blazing across the sky, announcing her presence with crimson and gold, Alex was slow and smoldering and sexy, inviting coals burning in a hearth. The girl flipped perfect mahogany curls over her shoulder and fluttered her lashes, twirling around the boy with a sick fascination as he stumbled and started, utterly unsure of how to proceed with such forward advances. From then on, every time Pyrrha saw her, she wanted to simultaneously crumble and cry and take the girl down in a fight for getting too close to him.

Their schedules didn't overlap very often, thankfully. They met up the next time in their combat class itself, when Jaune was called up to duel Reese from Team ABRN one-on-one. The match had lasted a scant minute before Jaune was knocked out of the arena. The brunette had rushed over to Jaune after class, cooing over how hard he had tried, fussing over his injuries. The blond blushed and looked away, scratching the back of his head in that way he did whenever he was flustered and embarrassed.

Pyrrha's heart truly shattered that evening, when she offered to train with Jaune, although it wasn't their normal rooftop training day. She just wanted to build his confidence, work on his stance a bit- that way, Reese's attacks wouldn't be able to take him down again. "No thanks, Pyrrha," he panted. "I'm hanging out with Alex. She invited me to hang out with her team for a bit, since they don't really know anyone around here."

And the redhead had broken inside, reaching out and grabbing his sleeve. "But didn't you want someone to check over your paper for Professor Port later?" she insisted, plastering the most serene look on her face that she could to avoid suspicion. Her heart, however, told a different story.

_Don't go to her, _she begged internally. _I'm right here. Please don't go. _

"C'mon, Jaune, you also needed help with that logistics assignment, didn't you?" She scrambled internally to hold onto any little piece of info that she could find, any sort of bait that could lure him to stay by her side, to not leave, _just don't go-_

The blond pouted, letting out a heavy sigh, completely unaware of her heartache. "I guess," he mumbled. There was still longing in his eyes, though. It wasn't for her.

Pyrrha added hastily, "I'm sure we could get Ren to make a snack for us, too. I'm a little hungry, but I wouldn't want to bother him if it's just me. We can get Nora involved, too." She tugged his sleeve again, shame coursing through her veins at her own desperation.

_I can't let him go._

At that, the boy finally smiled. "That actually sounds pretty awesome. I could go for some food. C'mon, Ren, don't let me down!" he cheered, sending the boy a quick text on his Scroll.

Pyrrha let out a tiny, relieved sigh, feeling her heart settle back down. She was safe, for now.

It was on the third time this sort of thing happened- Alex invited the blond, Jaune agreed, and Pyrrha convinced him to stay with Team JNPR- that Nora cornered her. "I see what you're doing," the shorter girl insisted, propping her hands on her hips and leaning forward, effectively trapping Pyrrha against the wall.

The redhead held up her hands innocently, casting a nervous glance over to the other side of the room, where Jaune was staring out of the window wistfully while Ren tied his apron around his waist. "I don't know what you're talking about, Nora," she replied smoothly.

She was lying. They both knew it.

Rather than growing heated, however, Nora's eyes just filled with an odd, weary sadness. Her brow furrowed, and she sighed heavily. In a quiet voice, she murmured, "Why do you think you have to keep him here, Pyrrha? He's our teammate. He's our friend. He'll always come back."

"I don't know what you mean."

Nora rolled her eyes. She jabbed an accusatory finger into Pyrrha's chest. "Don't play that game with me, missy," she scolded, but her tone grew drained in the blink of an eye. "Stop acting as if the only way to keep him by your side is by letting him use you, Pyrrha. You're worth so much more than that."

Pyrrha chewed her lip, dragging her gaze away from Nora's knowing eyes. She knew that Jaune didn't mean to repeat this pattern- the boy didn't have a manipulative bone in his body. "Am I, though?" The words were bitter, and every letter sent a stab of pain through her heart. _I'm clearly not worth more than _she _is._

Nora groaned, ruffling her own hair in frustration. "How can you say that?!" she hissed, keeping her voice low so as to not alert the boys of their quiet battle. "You're worth _everything, _Pyrrha. Jaune'll see that one day, you'll see."

And Pyrrha could only smile and shrug and turn wistfully back to the blond, knowing fully in her heart that she would do anything for him. She had fallen for him completely so long ago. At this point, she didn't mind if he was just using her as the convenient fixer of all of his shortcomings- she just wanted him to stay by her side. So, as much as she hated herself for doing it, she knew she wouldn't take Nora's advice. She would keep offering her help and going out of her way and convincing him to stay, until he finally pulled his gaze away from his Scroll and sexy brunettes and smoldering gazes and finally looked at _Pyrrha _again.

And if she was left feeling like nothing more than a tool in the meantime, then so be it.


	13. reliance

_Summary: Qrow bends the rules a little when he realizes just what they're asking Pyrrha to do. _

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Drama_

This is set right after the Maidens talk in Vol. 3. It's linked to another oneshot- _smoothies, or maybe gin. _Reading that first isn't necessary.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

reliance

She was shaking when she found herself alone on the campus grounds that night. The finals were in two days, but tournaments were the last thing on her mind- all she could think of was the impending decision looming over the horizon.

To become a Maiden- to give it all up for the sake of the world, to do something greater than she could've ever imagined-

Or to be allowed to stay by Jaune's side.

It wasn't a choice she had ever wanted to make. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair in the slightest.

Oddly enough, she heard the light flapping of wings behind her. She paid it no mind.

Suddenly, a low, gravelly voice murmured, "You doin' okay, kid?"

She spun around on the spot, instantly wary. She knew that voice, but how had she not heard his footsteps beforehand? How did he even get up here without opening the door? It always creaked- always. How had she not noticed his presence?

Qrow lumbered over to the edge of the dormitory rooftop, his eyes affixed upon her seated figure, expression betraying nothing. His hands were shoved angrily into his pockets, and he leaned back, hunched over with a perpetual exhaustion hanging over him.

When she had first seen him only the night before, she hadn't understood why there was such a bitter set to his jaw. Now, though, she could understand. She felt the same way.

She sighed. "…I'm doing as can be expected," she replied blandly.

He chuckled dryly. "So pretty damn awful, am I right?" The man ran his hand through his grey-streaked hair, taking a seat a few metres away from her. He hung a leg over the edge of the roof, propping one foot up and leaning on his knee. "I get it. It took me weeks to come to terms with it. Oz's story is pretty unbelievable."

"Yeah," she muttered humourlessly, "it is."

"But," the man conceded, voice dry and whimsical despite the crushing air of dread settling over the two, "I guess what we're asking you to do is way worse than what he asked me to do- I just had to join the save-the-world squad. You're… not so lucky, huh."

"Yup." She pressed her lips into a grim line, swallowing down the bile and the tears threatening to drown her.

He was quiet for a moment, and she glanced over. Just as expected, the man was taking a hard swig of liquor from his flask, his ever-present companion. Once he was done, he sighed. "I'm sorry we're asking you to do this. Oz doesn't want to hurt you. None of us do, kid." He sighed again.

She clenched her teeth. _If they really wanted what was best for you, they wouldn't be asking you to give up your future, _the little voice in her head whispered. "Really now."

"Of course not. I mean… if it were Ruby or Yang…" He sat quietly again for a moment, but this time he just stared out into the distance, at the green glow of Beacon Tower. "I don't know what I'd do. Thank god those kids aren't…"

"Aren't suited for this?" she finished for him.

"Yeah." He finally looked at the redhead again, his eyes full of sorrow and regret. "…I guess it was a little cruel of us to ask you to… to just focus on the tournament, huh?"

She snorted, but her heart was breaking. "…Yes, unfortunately."

The man reached into his jacket yet again, pulling out his flask.

Pyrrha mumbled, "How did you cope with it? With the truth?"

That question brought out a bark of a laugh from the man. He waved the flask around. "I've always looked older than I am, kid. Stress does that to you, and I've always had it aplenty. Back in my day, they weren't so strict about ID'ing us students, either. We just walked into bars, we looked like Huntsmen- probably wasn't the best thing, but it helped me drown it out." He laughed again, but this time, it was a little cheerier- a little nostalgic. "I suppose you're not the type, though."

She pulled her knees up into her chest and glanced up, staring at the sky. The sun was setting slowly, the horizon ablaze with ambers and reds and pinks, the clouds reflecting the idyllic light as if nothing was wrong. "I wish I could drown it out," she whispered. "I… I can't talk about it with anyone."

"Yeah."

They sat in the silence, and every once in a while, Qrow would take a swig and let out a deep sigh. Although at the start, Pyrrha felt uneasy with the man's presence, she quickly grew accustomed to it. Ruby had told her so much about her Uncle Qrow, about the man who had raised her alongside her dad- the man who had taught her everything she knew about fighting the Grimm and defending others. Even based on his brief mention of the two girls, it was clear that the Huntsman adored his nieces.

It was clear that he pitied her, a girl just like his nieces, for having to go through this heartache.

"You're going to accept Oz's offer, aren't you."

Mutely, she nodded.

"You can always change your mind, you know."

She nodded again, but they both knew that she wouldn't.

"Here." She glanced over, and to her surprise, the man was holding out a different flask towards her.

"Excuse me?" She leaned back, slightly affronted by the sudden offer.

He shrugged. "When I was your age, I had stuff to drink about. Join the club, kid." He suddenly looked at his hand, as if realizing for the first time what he was doing. "Oh… this ain't that good of me to do, huh."

"Shouldn't you be telling me that this… isn't okay? As the adult here?"

The man glared at the flask in hand, as if arguing against it in his head. Eventually, he tossed the tin to Pyrrha, who caught it with confused ease. "Adults should be protecting you, kid," he whispered. "But we're asking you to grow up in the worst way possible. Adults wouldn't know what to do in your shoes. I'm not going to ask you to be strong enough to handle it on your own." With that, he stood, stretched, shoved his hands into his pockets again, and loped back to the door of the roof. "If you don't want it yourself, share it with your friends."

She practically squawked at the prospect, but he just waved a hand over his shoulder without turning around.

"Might as well party for once in your life before the end of the tournament. You're supposed to enjoy the Vytal Festival, don't be so uptight!" His words were slightly slurred, and it was clear that the alcohol had truly begun to affect him. Before she could follow him and give back the flask, though, he left, the door clanging hollowly shut behind him.

She sighed, staring at the flask in hand. Alcohol? Is that really the only thing left that could numb her fears, her confusion? She didn't want to rely on it. She didn't want to have to drink to forget.

And yet, she found herself opening the flask anyways, swallowing a mouthful of gin, citrus and floral notes lingering in her burning nose when she hacked up a cough. She had only ever tasted champagne before. The bitterness was nothing like she had ever experienced. The burn stung, and she gagged a little, unsure of how to drink more.

But, the burn took her mind away from the doubts which had swirled in her mind nonstop since her conversation with Professor Ozpin and his team. So, she took another sip, growing bolder and bolder. Eventually, the burn lessened, turning into a heady floating sensation within her skin and a comfortable languidness as she finally tucked the flask, now almost empty, back into her jacket pocket.

Jaune found her up there long after sunset, staring at the stars. He pouted that she hadn't invited him. She almost cried. Whether that was from the vulnerability the drunkenness brought, or the fact that _gods, I won't be able to be with him after the tournament- _she didn't know.


	14. longer than our lives endure

_Summary: The leaves of Forever Fall remind Jaune of Pyrrha's hair, and for just a second, he lets himself believe that maybe Pyrrha's still there with him. She isn't. _

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Angst_

This is set between Vol. 3 and 4, during the reconstruction effort of Vale, as described in _WWCH._

Let me know what you think!

OST: _Forever Fall _on the V6 OST.

* * *

longer than our lives endure

"Mom?"

His voice quavered, trembling hopefully as he breathed the word into the phone's receiver.

After a terrifyingly long pause, he heard a loving, familiar voice murmur, "Is this Jaune? Sweetheart, what is it? No one else is home, they're visiting your grandma since Wednesday… It's barely… 6 AM."

He let out a shuddering breath. He knew that it was too early for this. He had called anyways.

His crew members had left the haven which was the safe zone set up in Vale a few hours earlier, skulking in the shadows as much as possible to avoid drawing any Grimm. The dangerous mission was important, though; there was a stash of medical and research equipment, along with whole flats of fertilizers and other plant growth enhancers, stored in the bunker Professor Peach had set up in the middle of this forest years earlier. It would be a great asset in helping re-establish some of the destroyed farmland around the city, but they needed to extract it now, in the hour before the Grimm became more active.

Through the dense foliage above him, he could see how the sun was barely beginning to hint at dawn, only the faintest of yellows and oranges illuminating the horizon. He tore his eyes away- each ray of early-morning light was set ablaze by the red of the leaves they shone through. The vermillion was blinding. He didn't want to look at that colour anymore.

He regretted saying yes to this mission.

When he didn't respond for a moment, his mother pressed, "Sweetheart, what is it?"

Jaune almost sobbed aloud, hearing the concern in her voice.

Thank the gods that Glynda had seen him about to collapse from heartbreak. Thank the gods that the Huntress had lent him her temporary phone to use, allowing the boy to sit at the side while the others loaded up the cart. Thank the gods that the short-range communication towers were still functioning, and his signal could make it through to his family's cottage on Anima.

Because he just needed to talk to _someone_ he loved_, _hear _anyone's _voice. He couldn't be alone with his thoughts, not after everything that had happened.

Not while he was stuck in Forever Fall.

"Where are you, Jaune?"

He snapped back to the phone call. Through a clogged-up throat, he choked out, "Forever Fall."

She instantly hissed on the other end. "Sweetheart, what are you doing there?! That's so close to Beacon, you have to stay away-"

"_Mom,_" he cried, and she quieted down.

"…Are you on a mission?" she asked at last.

He nodded, sniffling- then, he muttered, "Yup," realizing that she couldn't see him.

"You nodded there, didn't you."

He snorted wryly despite his tears. "Caught me."

"Of course I did, you're my favourite idiot son," she cooed.

"I know," he whispered, voice hoarse.

They were both quiet for a moment, then the loving woman dared to ask, "So… why are you calling today, dear?"

Calls were rare in the midst of the CCTS breakdown. One only made calls when things of great importance occurred. After all, phones were a much rarer commodity, now that Scrolls were practically useless. People treasured the devices greatly.

"I just…"

She was quiet.

"The trees are so red here, Mom," he whimpered at last.

She didn't answer for a moment. Finally she yawned, then whispered, befuddled, "Isn't… isn't that why it's called Forever Fall, sweetheart?"

"No!" He immediately bit his tongue, glancing over to Glynda. The Huntress cast him a worried eye, then turned back to the others who were loading their carts, giving him some privacy. In a hushed whisper, he murmured, "No, it's not that. It's just…"

_It's too much like her._

"Oh, Jaune." She understood.

The blond shivered from head to toe, finding a seat on a nearby rock. Leaning on an adjacent tree trunk, he pressed his head back against it, feeling the smooth, dark bark catch his shaggy hair. Even untapped, he could smell the tree's sap- the trees of Forever Fall were, after all, well-known for their delicious and, surprisingly medicinal, sap.

But thoughts of sap collection drifted back into thoughts of _her, _and he whimpered again. The previous- and only- time he had ever been to this forest, normally so breathtaking with its vibrant red trees, had been in his first term at Beacon.

_Back then, I was still being picked on by Cardin. _

"You… miss her a lot, don't you."

His mother knew of Pyrrha Nikos- of the redheaded partner her only son had managed to find. Jaune could still remember the first time he had called home to announce the news that he- not Ren, not Nora, but _him, _Jaune Arc- was captain of the team with _the Pyrrha Nikos _on it. His mother had been speechless, and even more so when he haughtily explained to her, "Pyrrha said I was a natural-born leader, Mom! Look who's gonna be a cool Huntsman now!" Because _Pyrrha Nikos, _the girl who was on _every box of _Pumpkin Pete's _cereal, _believed in _him!_

She had been the first one to believe in him. He knew that as fact.

It all seemed so long ago.

…maybe that had been her biggest mistake all along; believing in Jaune Arc. He certainly hadn't been able to support her when she needed him.

The wind stirred the leaves, and he brushed his bangs out of his eyes, glancing upwards. The light was growing in intensity, the darkness of night fading away, indigo skies melting into sky blue slowly but surely. The crimson leaves above him fluttered in the canopy, and his heart wrenched.

"The first time…"

"Yeah?"

"The first time I saw her, she was really cool, y'know? Like… a superhero."

"Really?"

"Yeah." And it was true. He could still remember seeing how she had exploded into the air after being launched off the springboard during initiation. He hadn't known who she was- other than that she was the cereal girl, of course- but her hair had trailed after her, blocking out the sun for just one moment of fire and red energy and golden pride and _life, _a sparkling shooting star flying across the sky in the middle of the day, and his jaw had dropped and his heart had thudded in his chest, and…

And he had been dumb, and attributed that heartbeat to fear and nervousness and the rising anxiety stemming from the question no one seemed to be answering at the time: _What the hell is a landing strategy?!_

But her light hadn't faded. She had found him, and had smiled, and had touched his heart- his Aura- with her own so willingly that he _should've realized it from the start-_

"Jaune, sweetheart, it's okay, shh," his mother soothed on the other end, and it took Jaune a moment to realize that he had been babbling all of this out loud, and that he was now wholly and completely _sobbing. _

"But- but-" He shuddered and gasped, biting his knuckles to stifle his cries. He needed to calm down- they were in a forest _full of Grimm, _for gods' sake- but he just couldn't. Everywhere he looked, he saw her ponytail whipping behind a tree trunk, light footsteps flitting through the leaves, smile shining and green eyes adoring and- and-

Everywhere he looked, he saw Pyrrha.

"Sweetie, just breathe for me, okay?" the woman hummed on the other end, and Jaune stumbled to follow along. He paused, taking deep breaths- in, out- _1, 2-_

But he was right back where he started. That was how Pyrrha always used to meditate, how she always got so ready for whatever battle she needed to face. He had teased her once about it. Her face had fallen, and he had never talked about it again.

But he never forgot. Now, it seemed that no matter how much he tried to, he would never forget anything about the girl he had let slip away.

After a few moments, he choked out, "She made everything better, Mom. Everything. What am I...?"

"Shh, honey, I know," his mother whispered. "I know. I believe you. She was wonderful- lovely." She paused, and he could hear the woman turning on a tap- setting up the kettle, perhaps? She murmured, "Those pictures you sent, I, um… your father and I had them framed."

And that triggered a whole new flood of tears. He knew which photos she spoke of- they were from the Beacon Dance, from only a few months earlier. Nora had insisted on taking pictures of Jaune and Pyrrha dancing, and then at the end, the foursome had taken what had felt like a hundred photographs on the way home on the bubbly girl's Scroll. She had immediately sent them to everyone, and Jaune had sent some to Saphron, since she had been the one to pack him his white dress initially. Of _course _his elder sister had shared them all with the whole family.

"She was beautiful that night."

"She really was. You're a lucky boy, to have danced with her all night long."

"Yeah," he squeaked, biting his knuckle again. He was. That night, he had held her in his arms. Gods, how she had _laughed, _so warm and bright in her dress, so long and beautiful and red- always with the _damn red-_

But her earring. She had worn his earring.

_God, _how had he not figured it out?!

After a moment, the woman asked, "So. What now?"

He glanced over to where Glynda stood with the other Huntsmen and students on the mission. They were almost ready to head back. He sniffled, wiping his cheeks with a gloved hand clumsily. "I need to go."

"Okay, sweetheart. Do you know what you're doing later?"

"No."

"Okay. Do you think you're gonna come home?"

"No." _Lies. _"I'm staying here." _Lies. I don't wanna stay here._ "I… need to rebuild Vale."

_How can I just stay here, how can I just go home, when she won't get to do that ever again?_

She sighed. "Okay." He just focused on breathing. The kettle began to steam. Then, his mother murmured, "I love you, Jaune. Stay safe, and call when you can, okay?"

"I will." His words were barely louder than the rustling of the wind through the leaves, but after she murmured a few more heartfelt 'I love you's and 'stay safe's to him, he hung up the phone. Sniffling long and hard, he stood, walking back to the Huntress in charge.

"Mr. Arc, are you alright?"

He plastered on a wan smile. "I'll… be ready to fight, if I'm needed."

With a skeptical frown, she nodded, retrieving her phone from him before turning back to the loaded cart. "Time to get a move on, people!" she commanded.

And so, Jaune pulled out Crocea Mors, brandishing it at the ready for any Grimm that could come his way as he took his place behind the slow-moving cart. The procession demanded silence in order to avoid alerting the Grimm, especially now that it was day. But he didn't mind. His mind was still miles away- trapped in front of Beacon Tower's remains, where he had held Pyrrha in his arms properly, just the one time.

One time wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

He blinked back the tears, holding his breath until the urge to vomit out another cry abated. The sun had fully risen now, the sky completely light blue, just like how it had been the first time he had wandered through these tall, impossibly-crimson trees. That was the day he had learned to defend himself, learned to stand up strong- but he hadn't done it for himself.

He had done it to defend Pyrrha.

Maybe that was the only solace he could have- surrounded by these giant husks, their branches swishing and swaying in the wind with nothing but memories and regret from actions he could've taken, words he could've said, touches he could've felt- **_love_**_ he __**should've fucking shared**__-_

But there was no point in wishing. Jaune knew that when he arrived back at Vale, when he returned to his and Nora's and Ren's room in the makeshift Huntsmen's barracks that night, he'd unwrap Pyrrha's circlet and hold it in his hands. And he'd wish, for the forty-eighth night in a row, that he could meld that circlet into himself, feel her soul in his hands once more, become a part of her in the only way he could anymore. He just wanted to feel her with him. He just wanted her back.

The truth was evident, though. The next time he saw her, he'd be dead, too.

_But I'll wait, Pyrrha. Wait for me, too. I'll wait forever. _

He'd never love another. That was his curse for not being strong enough when it mattered most. He'd keep going wherever the road took him, and he'd do his best so that whenever he met her again, she'd maybe be proud of him.

No one commented on the tears that began rolling down his cheeks as the group finally left behind the red trees of Forever Fall, the shadows behind their trunks and long, fluttering leaves playing tricks on his eyes- forming, so seamlessly, so cruelly, into the dancing silhouette of the girl he'd grown to love too late.


	15. can't call it love

_Summary: Pyrrha always knows when Jaune's suffering. She tries to ease his worries. No one's there to fix her heartbreak, though._

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Angst_

This is set in late Vol. 2, after the dance.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

can't call it love

Sometimes, she didn't know why she tried.

For the twelfth night in a row, Pyrrha awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of grumbling and low whimpering. Blinking the sleep away automatically, she reached out to her nightstand. On her Scroll, she could read the time- 2 AM. Still an ungodly hour to be up and about. She had to be functioning for their 8 AM lecture that day, but she had no choice but to get up.

She slipped out from under her bedsheets as silently as possible, padding over to kneel beside the bed on her left, the source of the sound.

Even in the dark, her hands knew where to go. Reaching up, she felt matted bangs, and she swept them away from a furrowed brow. She pulled down the heavy duvet slightly, allowing the sleeping, tossing boy some freedom, some air. She ran tender fingers down his cheeks, feeling beads of sweat rolling down his skin, feeling his mouth move in formless, fearful whispers.

Jaune's dreams had been troubling him as of late. She didn't know why it had started- he didn't show any difference during the day, just as goofy and welcoming as always. And yet, each night, the blond had been haunted by some awful nightmares. The first night, she had started awake as she heard his panicked voice cut through her own dreams. She had almost cried, listening to him weep silently- but now, she was used to it. She knew how to help calm him.

It still hurt, though. His breathy cries of despair were enough to wrench her heart to pieces, tearing away any mask of calm she could normally wear upon her face.

But it was dark. No one could see her heartbreak in the darkness.

So, with a tender hand, she cupped his cheek, brushing the skin tenderly. She could feel his light stubble prickling against her palm, but she didn't mind it. Instead, she pressed her other hand on the top of his head, stroking his hair gently. "You're okay, Jaune," she breathed into his ear.

At the sound of her voice, Jaune's entire body visibly stilled, then relaxed, the murmurs quieting after a moment. She continued her ministrations, laying her own cheek awkwardly against the edge of his mattress. As her eyes adjusted to the shadow-filled room, she could see the rise and fall of his chest slow down, growing more even, more steady.

Suddenly, the blond shifted, and she pulled her hands away, ducking out of his potential line of sight as he rolled over to face her. When he didn't stir further, though, she poked her head back up, relaxing. His eyes remained closed, but his breathing had become more peaceful, so she simply rested an arm on the side of the bed, laying her cheek upon it.

He was so sweet. If there was anything she could do to take away his suffering, to ease his anxieties and allow him to sleep peacefully again, _god _how she'd do it in a heartbeat. But she was too scared to bring it up with him- he'd reacted so poorly during their first semester when she had tried to help him, and although she knew that he'd opened up to her, and that he was more than happy to share his concerns with her now, she couldn't bear to think that he'd turn away from her again.

With a heavy sigh, she laid a hand upon his upturned cheek again. He wasn't sleep-talking anymore. He was at peace. "Sleep well, Jaune," she whispered tenderly.

_I wish you knew how much I cared._

And then, Jaune's hand reached up and covered hers, and in his sleep, he nuzzled into her palm and smiled.

She almost gagged, the sob which ripped its way silently out of her mouth almost too much to bear. She swallowed down the sound, pressing her lips together, holding her breath until the shuddering of her chest and heart subsided. Then, she pulled her hand away from his as carefully as she could, then walked back into her own bed.

With a trembling hand, she checked the time. 3 AM. Their alarms would go off in a few hours.

Judging by the tears rolling down her cheeks, though, fat and heavy, laden with all of the self-hatred and loneliness and _heartbreak _suffocating her… she wouldn't be sleeping very well for the rest of the night.

_As long as Jaune's okay. _She let out an exhausted sigh between hiccupping tears. Night 12 was done, but Night 13 would find a new way to break her heart.

She sobbed into her pillow quietly until she fell asleep, muffling her cries. No one heard.

No one soothed her until she fell asleep.


	16. silhouettes

_Summary: The moon above Remnant is beautiful, but Nora and Ren can't enjoy it- not anymore._

_Genres: Hurt/Comfort & Tragedy_

I wrote this a long time ago. This is set in Vol. 4.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

Silhouettes

"It's beautiful," Nora murmurs.

Ren shrugs. "Looks like it always does."

"Not what I mean, silly," she protests.

He glances at her, confused- but his gaze is met with sorrow, pale eyes clouded as she examines the moon shimmering across the night sky.

Ren knows. It is not _beauty _she sees. The silhouette of Beacon's CCT tower is reflected in her tears, the scene replaying over and over again, carved into their tortured memories. That light- the explosion-

The faintest hint of red, flames swallowed by a fragmented moon- their fragmented hearts. Shattered. Unfixable.

"I miss her," Nora breathes, whimpering.

Ren knows. His heart whimpers back.


	17. rainfall

_Summary: Nora always knows when Ren needs something. He's always grateful._

_Genres: Romance & Hurt/Comfort_

This is set during their journey to Haven in S4. This was adapted from a very, _very _old piece I wrote (nearly a decade ago, holy moly) that I found earlier on my old hard drive. I thought it was fitting for our two wholesome beans.

Let me know what you think!

* * *

rainfall

_Something's wrong. _

The sound of rain, gently washing down from the heavens in soft sheets against the window's glass, is what stirred the girl's senses. Amidst the pitter-patter of raindrops streaking down the windowpane, internal warning alarms started to ring through the fogginess of Nora's formerly peaceful dreams. It was intense, screaming out, disrupting the silence that had been hanging within the small bedroom so comfortably before. _Dang it. What time is it?_

Opening her bleary eyes, the orange-haired girl could barely make out the mirror on the wall, or the small table in the right corner of the room, despite the clock showing that it should have been daylight already hours before. _Oh gosh. We slept in, huh? Oops._ Turning her head slowly to the left, she sighed- the window displayed a bleak, cloudy day, hardly a ray of light penetrating the dark wash of clouds and the torrential rainfalls cascading below.

She paused, squinting as she peered at the window. No lightning struck, much to her chagrin. _A summer storm, and we can't even storm-dive either? What's the point? _She pouted, running her hands through her bedhead, irritated. Why did she even wake up?

Suddenly, she heard a groan- the same muffled, frantic noise which had caused her to stir to begin with.

She sat upright, carefully balancing her weight upon propped up elbows as she glanced at the sleeping figure to her right. She felt her brows furrow, weary warmth and concern welling up inside. The young man's face was barely visible, shrouded deep within the confines of his blankets, but she could see enough to make her concerned- his eyebrows were furrowed, sweat beaded upon his brow, voice emitting unintelligible murmurs of pain so soft, she could scarcely hear it. His body flashed pink, his Aura covering him, masking his negativity from potential Grimm without his knowledge.

_Oh, Ren._

The rainstorm raged on, and she yawned despite herself. Rather than going back to sleep, though, she stretched, lightly slapping her cheeks to wake herself up. It was days like this when she worried the most for Ren's health. She needed to be there for him.

She peeked over to the other side of the room, where Ruby and Jaune were still sleeping in their own beds. Thankfully, the two of them were both heavy sleepers, and the room which the townsfolk had provided them after clearing a patch of Grimm was spacious enough that she didn't need to stealthily walk around them- they'd sleep through it all.

With a sigh, she flipped her bangs out of her eyes before slipping out of bed, trying her best to not let the squeak of the mattress disturb the sleeping boy on her right. Pulling on a sweater draped over a nearby chair, she tiptoed out of their room and headed downstairs into the communal kitchen, setting some water to boil. Tea would calm Ren down once he woke up.

The empty silence made her gnaw her bottom lip in frustration. His dreams had been far more intense as of late. It had been years since they had escaped the clutches of their captors- and, with the sheer intensity of what they had gone through in Vale and Beacon, that time period felt even longer, separating them from their childhood selves even further. And yet, the visions of hatred and fear and bloodshed still haunted Ren.

She had noticed it was especially bad when the rain fell. The nightmares, the agonizing _pain,_ became even worse during rainy days. She didn't know what memory he was recalling, but she knew there were only two places such recurring nightmares could stem from.

But one of the sources was dead, and they'd avoid the other as much as possible, so why had his fears intensified?

She didn't want to bring it up. He had lost far more than she, the night they met. Being on Anima, so close to Kuroyuri… she couldn't imagine what that was doing to him. So, she could do nothing for him but wait for the nightmares to stop. Would that day ever come?

It sent a flash a pain through her, slicing her from the inside out- but she had to admit it. She, Nora Valkyrie, the cheeriest of all… seeing Ren like this, even she was beginning to lose hope that his nightmares would cease before they left Mistral behind again.

Her shoulders drooped with exhaustion and frustration, but she forced herself to perk up anyways. The water was boiled, the leaves steeped. With the freshly-made cup of tea steaming within her hand, she trudged back to the bedroom. Walking around Ren's bed, she went to his side, where he was continuing to toss and turn restlessly, dream-whispers beginning to turn into pained cries as he escaped from something she dared not to even imagine.

His body still glowed with his Aura, his body's internal defense mechanisms hiding his fear away still. Nora sighed, grabbing his shoulder lightly. She needed to wake him up before the nightmares ate up all of his Semblance. It was exhausting for him, especially since they were on the road.

He slowly stirred, eyes blinking open at last. She grinned, placing the mug upon the nightstand and sitting on the edge of his bed. "Made you tea," she whispered.

He sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. They were puffy, swollen. _I'll get him some ice later, _she thought absentmindedly, taking note of it. He didn't like showing Jaune and Ruby that he wasn't having the best time during this trip. They weren't ready to see Ren crumble, too. _And it's my job to make sure that doesn't happen!_

"…Go to bed, Nora," he croaked, voice jagged and hoarse with sleep and silent screams. She smiled wistfully, waiting for him to drink the tea. When he realized she wouldn't budge until he complied, he sighed, taking the cup in hand and sipping carefully.

"You okay?" she whispered.

He ran his hand back through his hair. Nora saw how much his fingers shook. She didn't bring it up, though.

"I'm fine. What time…?" His eyes widened, alarmed, when he took in the actual hour on the clock.

She held a finger up to her lips, then pointed at the other two sleeping in their own beds across the room. "Let's go easy today?" she offered.

Ren frowned, but nodded at last. They had been pushing through too hard lately. The break would do them good.

_It'll do _you _some good, _she thought wearily. _Ren, please don't do this to yourself. Sleep. Take a break. I love you, you know?_

But she wouldn't say any of it to him- not yet. He wasn't ready for it.

"Drink your tea, then go back to sleep," she ordered authoritatively, although the grin on her face didn't fade.

He rolled his eyes, but with her words, his posture visibly relaxed. He took another sip of his tea and sighed, but he seemed much more contented, the fear and hurt that had wound him up so tightly in his nightmares finally releasing him again. He'd be okay.

Satisfied, Nora reached up and tapped him lightly on the nose. "Boop," she whispered, smiling sweetly at him.

And Ren smiled back, and her own worries slipped away. Nora sat on the edge of his bed until he had finished his tea, and then, she pulled out her headphones, found a gentle set of songs on her Scroll, and crawled back into her own bed.

Before she closed her eyes, however, she saw Ren settling into his bed once again- but his eyes were on her. She cocked her head, lifting up one headphone, awaiting his words.

"…Thanks, Nora," he breathed.

"Always, Ren," she sang back. She meant it. Just as he was always there to soothe her worries, she'd be there to protect him, too. Always.


	18. Notice

**Hello everyone!**

I just wanted to let you know that I'm marking this fic as _completed. _Now that _What We Call Home _is completed, I need to take a break from this universe. While I do have other oneshots planned, I am not sure as to when those fics will be written as I'm currently enjoying other fics, so for now this series will be dormant.

Whenever I do write a new _Laws of Attraction-_verse fic, I will add it to this collection.

Cheers for reading, and let me know what you think of this giant universe!


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